Poor are ignored in making aid work

After the devastating floods in Mozambique in 2000, those affected were given land and material to help rebuild their lives [Simon Rawles]

The "scandal of poverty" will only get worse unless poor communities are part of the decision-making process over how to spend aid, according to major development agencies

A joint statement issued by the Caritas Internationalis network (of which CAFOD is a member) and other leading NGOs criticises the Paris Declaration - a plan for improving the effectiveness of aid - claiming it does not reflect the interests of the poor.

René Grotenhuis, president of CIDSE, says that aid is being judged purely by its "quantity and not by what it delivers", and that the Declaration ignores sustainable development.

Authors of development

He says: "Leaving the poor out of aid effectiveness is like leaving people out of architecture."

The statement comes ahead of the Accra High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (2-4 September), which brings together more than 800 representatives of aid donors from around the world.

The meeting will review the Paris Declaration, which was originally signed by 100 ministers, heads of agencies and other senior officials in March 2005.

Rev. Dr. Mvume Dandala, the General Secretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), says: "Accra has the potential to improve how we end this scandal of poverty - but only if it helps poor people become the authors of their development.

“About 29,000 children under the age of five die every day, 21 each minute, mainly from preventable causes.

"Six million of the almost 11 million children who die each year could be saved by low-tech cost-effective measures."

Caritas and CIDSE will be officially represented at the meeting by Gweneth Berge, who is calling for an end to conditions being tied to aid.

She says: “Rich country governments are behaving shamefully in still tying aid to the promotion of their own economic interests.

"Our way has been lost if aid benefits the rich when the poor go hungry in greater numbers.

"Local communities must have a greater role in making decisions that ultimately affect their lives the most."

The joint statement was issued by Caritas, the Symposium of Episcopal Conference in Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), the International Cooperation for Development and Solidarity (CIDSE), and ACT Development

take action

Advent Appeal 2008 Please send a message of support to kids this Advent at a special school run by a CAFOD partner

Shine a light in the darkness Please sign our petition calling on the world's largest mining company to listen to communities in the Philippines worried about the effect mining will have on their land - plus send a personal message of solidarity to the people of Macambol

Buy a World Gift Browse our new range of alternative gifts that act as two presents in one – something for you to give to friends or a relative, while the real gift changes the life of someone living in poverty