Policy Updates

Each week, Donor Tracker's team of country-based experts bring you the most important policy and funding news across issue areas in the form of Policy Updates.

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UK announces US$6 million program with RBM Partnership to End Malaria

December 11, 2024 | UK, Gender Equality, Global Health | Share this update

On December 11, 2024, the UK announced a new GBP5 million (US$6 million) program with the RBM Partnership to End Malaria to boost global efforts to end malaria epidemic, stimulate growth, protect women and girls, and renew the push to eliminate malaria by 2030.

The announcement followed the launch of the WHO’s World Malaria Report 2024, which outlined that malaria remains a serious global health challenge and saw an increase of cases in 2023.

The UK’s pledge will support the RBM Partnership to End Malaria as it works to galvanize global leaders in the fight against malaria. UK is slated to include tackling resistance to malaria treatments and supporting efforts to control malaria in Cameroon, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Press release - UK Government

UK, European States suspend Syrian asylum applications

December 9, 2024 | UK, Gender Equality | Share this update

On December 9, 2024, the UK and other European countries accounced they would suspend the process of asylum applications from Syrians after the fall of the Assad regime in Damascus.

A spokesperson from the UK Home Office issued a statement temporarily pausing decisions on Syrian asylum claims whilst he government undergoes an assessment of the current situation.

The decision was made only one day after rebel forces seized the capital and the president fled to Russia. The impact on IDRCs in the UK and other parts of Europe remain to be seen.

News article - The Guardian

UK representative delivers speech at FfD4

December 3, 2024 | UK, Climate, Gender Equality | Share this update

On December 3, 2024, UK Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward made a speech at the FfD4 Second Preparatory event, highlighting the need to focus on international financial architecture reforms, and foster a bigger, better, and fairer financial system.

The FfD4 outcome hopes to build upon the Addis Ababa Action Agenda’s focus on an enabling environment, particularly towards women’s economic empowerment.

It will focus on vulnerability and the countries at risk of being left behind in order to improve shock responsiveness and progress State Contingent Debt Clauses and Disaster Risk Financing.

BII also announced a US$30 million investment in InfraCredit, to promote local currency financing to support the clean energy transition.

Press release - UK Goverment

UK commits US$88 million to tackle gender-based online abuse in Kenya, South Africa

November 25, 2024 | UK, Gender Equality | Share this update

On November 25, 2024, the UK announced a new partnership with three women’s rights organizations in Kenya and South Africa to develop new preventative strategies to tackle online violence and abuse against women and girls.

The What Works to Prevent Violence: Impact at Scale program is a GBP68 million (US$88 million) program working to pioneer and scale-up effective approaches to ending GBV. The first phase of the program showed that UK can help reduce violence in homes, schools, and communities by 50% in under 3 years.

The program has recently awarded three new grants to women’s rights organizations:

  • To CREAW in Kenya, in order to pioneer the use of media in preventing violence;
  • To Soul City Institute in South Africa, to pioneer the use of mass media in preventing violence; and
  • To Reach Digital Health in South Africa, to pioneer the use of technology such as chatbots in preventing violence.

The UK government is also funding a project called Safe Online: Preventing Technology-Facilitated GBV, which will be backed by more than GBP27 million (US$35 million) in UK-government funding; it is intended to help to support survivors of online violence and abuse, gather data to strengthen our understanding of this emerging threat, and minimize women’s exposure to harmful content by working with national regulators.

Press release - UK Government

UK appoints Special Representative on PSVI

November 15, 2024 | UK, Gender Equality | Share this update

On November 15, 2024, Lord Ray Collins was appointed the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative on PSVI.

As the Prime Minister’s Special Representative, Lord Collins will drive international action to tackle the issue, which disproportionally affects women and girls around the world and support survivors.

Lord Collins takes over the role from Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, who served in the role since 2017 and oversaw the UK host the 2022 PSVI Conference and launch the 2023 International Alliance on PSVI.

Press release - UK Government

UK Treasury endorses new Invest in Women Task Force

September 18, 2024 | UK, Gender Equality | Share this update

On September 18, 2024, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves gave her backing to the Invest in Women Taskforce, which aims to create one of the world’s largest investment funding pools for female founders.

The task force seeks to establish a funding pool of more than GBP250 million (US$299 million) for female-founded businesses through private capital. Reeves noted that support for women and their contribution to the economy is a personal priority as the UK's first female Chancellor, and she plans to play an active role in steering the Taskforce priorities and objectives by attending its meetings and events.

On International Equal Pay Day, Reeves hosted a reception in partnership with the Fawcett Society. The reception convened a group of female business leaders from across the UK’s foremost growth industries, such as financial services, technology, and the creative sector.

At the reception, Reeves set out her agenda for women in the economy, vowing to improve economic opportunities available to women and close the gender pay gap by strengthening rights at work and investing in childcare.

Press release - UK government

UK Minister for International Development visits South Sudan, Ethiopia

August 22, 2024 | UK, Global Health R&D, Gender Equality | Share this update

On August 22, 2024, UK Minister for International Development and Women and Equalities Anneliese Dodds made her first overseas visit as minister to South Sudan and Ethiopia.

Dodds met with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Taye Atske-Selassie and discussed UK support for peace and security, economic growth, and other critical development priorities across the region. She also met with AU Commissioner Bankole Adeoye.

In South Sudan, Dodds called for urgent humanitarian action for the crisis-hit nation and for the government to progress towards holding free and fair elections. She also announced a GBP86 million (US$103 million) package of support for the most vulnerable in the region, including GBP15 million (US$18 million) of new funding for a program to tackle endemic GBV in the region.

Press release - UK governmentPress release - UK government

UK ODA spending shows significant increases in 2023/24, likely to see cuts for 2024/25

August 7, 2024 | UK, Climate, Gender Equality, Education | Share this update

On August 7, 2024, BOND, the UK platform for international development NGOs, released its analysis of the FCDO’s annual accounts for FY2023/24 and confirmed a significant increase in spending on ODA from the FCDO in FY2023/24.

Excluding spending on the CSFF, FCDO’s ODA spending on programs increased just over a quarter, from GBP6.9 billion (US$8.3 billion) in FY2022/23 to GBP8.7 billion (US$10.4 billion) in FY2023/24. The split between ODA and non - ODA in the CSFF was not reported in FY2022/23.

BOND asserted that regional and bilateral spending fell in FY2023/24 by 3%, while FCDO spending on core multilateral programs increased by 79% in FY2023/24. FCDO spending also increased on climate, health, international financial institutions, and BII. FCDO spending, however, decreased in the education, gender and equality, and humanitarian, migration, and food security departments.

Looking ahead, BOND calculated that the FCDO’s overall spending, not limited to ODA, for FY2024/25 will be GBP11.8 billion (US$14.2 billion), representing a reduction of GBP552 million (US$661 million), or 4.4%, compared to the previous government’s plans for FCDO spending in FY2024/25. The overall reduction is attributed to the continued high levels of ODA spending on refugees in the UK as well as the fact that the UK ODA budget is currently expected to return to 0.5% ODA/GNI in 2024 after reaching 0.6% ODA/GNI in 2023.

BOND observed that the revised FCDO spending plans for FY2024/25 will see an increase in bilateral and central programs, but a cut in core multilateral programs. Spending on FCDO operating costs, frontline diplomacy, and overseas network will remain at similar levels.

News article - BOND

Anneliese Dodds appointed UK Minister of State in charge of international development

July 7, 2024 | UK, Gender Equality | Share this update

On July 8, 2024, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in a surprise move, appointed Anneliese Dodds FCDO Minister of State, with a brief to oversee International Development.

Dodds was also appointed Minister for Women and Equalities in the Department of Education. The shadow International Development Minister, Lisa Nandy, also in a surprise move, was appointed Minister for Culture, Media, and Sports. The former shadow Labour MP covering the Culture and Media post failed to win their seat in the national election.

Press release - UK Government

Canada announces US$501 million for global agriculture, climate, gender equality at G7 Summit

June 14, 2024 | Canada, UK, Agriculture, Nutritious Food Systems, Climate, Gender Equality | Share this update

On June 14, 2024, the second day of the G7 Summit, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced nearly CAD687 million (US$501 million) to strengthen sustainable agricultural, climate resiliency, and foster gender equality in low- and middle-income countries.

Within the funding was CAD200 million (US$146 million) to IFAD, including:

  • CAD100 million (US$73 million) to reduce poverty and food insecurity while strengthening climate resilience, with a focus on poor, vulnerable, and rural communities; and
  • CAD100 million (US$73 million) as a repayable contribution to IFAD’s Private Sector Financing Programme to support investments in the agricultural sector in low- and middle-income countries, especially in the Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia.

Canada also announced new funding for the Indo-Pacific region, which is home to the largest number of climate-vulnerable people in the world. Funding included:

  • CAD360 million (US$262 million) in repayable contributions to the ADB to establish the Canadian Climate and Nature Fund for the Private Sector in Asia to mobilize private capital toward inclusive climate change mitigation and adaptation projects; and
  • CAD7 million (US$5 million) through the IDRC to build on Canada’s existing partnership with the UK to expand the IDRC’s AI for Development program for responsible AI innovation and capacity building in the Indo-Pacific.

Lastly, Canada announced new funding to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women, girls, and LGBTQI+ people, including:

  • CAD100 million (US$73 million) in the International Finance Corporation’s Facility for Gender Equality, Resilience, Opportunity, and Inclusion Worldwide, which is expected to mobilize an estimated CAD470 million (US$342 million) in private capital for investments that empower women and promote gender inclusion; and
  • CAD20 million (US$15 million) to TradeMark Africa and the Centre for International Studies and Cooperation to help eliminate the gender-based barriers that prevent women from fully participating in opportunities afforded by the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Press release - Prime Minister of CanadaPress release - International Development Research Centre

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US$ amounts are cited directly from sources; in the absence of an official conversion, they are calculated using the previous week's average of the US Federal Reserve's daily exchange rates.

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