Save the Children welcomes increased investment, transparency and predictability of aid funding in Budget 2018

Children’s aid organization Save the Children welcomed the release of Budget 2018 today, recognizing the increased investment and improved measures for transparency and predictability within Canada’s international assistance envelope.

“As an organization dedicated to life-saving assistance for children worldwide, Save the Children is encouraged by the increased investment to Canada’s international assistance, allowing for meaningful implementation of the Feminist International Assistance Policy we know has the potential to save lives, and crucially, allow for sustainable peace and development through a clear focus on empowerment of women and girls,” said Save the Children’s Chief of Programs and Policy, Greg Duly.

In particular, Save the Children warmly welcomes the increased baseline funding for humanitarian assistance, allowing for vital funds to be delivered more quickly and efficiently during humanitarian crises, and injecting much-needed funds at a time where the UN estimates the number of people in need of assistance will reach 136 million in 2018, requiring over $2 billion USD in funding. Save the Children also noted the separate funding pot for the crisis pool, which the organization hopes will be made available to provide additional funding as needed, particularly to respond to unexpected disasters and other crises.

“The needs of children caught in humanitarian crises are larger than ever before. With a 75% increase in children living in active conflict zones, ongoing large-scale displacement and recurring disasters, the urgency of humanitarian assistance for children and their families that helps brings dignity, life-saving aid, and critical protection and education, cannot be overstated. Save the Children welcomes today’s announcement of a dedicated, protected pool for humanitarian assistance, which will allow for timely, effective and predictable dispersal of funds when and where they are needed most” said Duly.

Save the Children recognizes the vital impact that the additional $2b in international assistance could bring to the lives of children, particularly girls, over the next five years. The organization is encouraged at the investment, which represents a step in the right direction of the ultimate goal of 0.7% of GNI, a global standard first proposed in 1969 by the Pearson Commission. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, significant investment will be required from governments, the private and development sectors. Official Development Assistance is a vital and catalytic component of this investment that is necessary if we are to reach those who have been left furthest behind. While Canada has thus far failed to meet this goal where others have, Save the Children is hopeful that the increase seen in today’s budget will begin to reverse this trend, getting Canada back on track.

“In delivering sustainable development and humanitarian assistance programs, planning is a critical need for organizations such as Save the Children. To be able to ensure we are continuously meeting the most pressing needs of children and their families, and in particular those most marginalized and left behind such as girls, refugees and children in conflict, we need to be able to plan ahead. The increased transparency in allocation of funding as well as increased predictability in humanitarian assistance allow us to be responsive to emerging need and to plan our work more effectively, and we look forward to working with the Government on these areas moving forward” added Duly.