Press Release

21 February 2005

Minister announces 28% increase in support to NGO's

The Minister for International Development, Gareth Thomas MP, will formally announce a 28% increase in the support that the Department for International Development (DFID) provides to 18 of the major development non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) at a launch ceremony in DFID’s London Headquarters at 5pm on Tuesday 22nd February.

The increase, from £62 million in 2004/05 to £79 million in 2005/06, will be provided under Partnership Programme Agreements (PPAs), which offer strategic funding on the basis of shared poverty reduction objectives.

This increase comes soon after the recently announced 40% increase in DFID’s Civil Society Challenge Fund which supports individual projects with other development NGO’s.

Gareth Thomas said: ‘Aid agencies and civil society groups in the UK and internationally have a vital role in eliminating poverty and promoting development. This very significant increases in our support shows our confidence in their ability to make a difference to the lives of the poorest people.’

DFID provides further funding for NGOs through support for humanitarian assistance, in emergency situations, and through funding from individual country programme budgets.

For further information please call the DFID Press Office on 020 7023 0600 or the press offices of the NGOs listed below.

Case studies

ActionAid

Poverty and injustice prevent over 100 million children from getting a basic education. The focus of the ActionAid-DFID partnership has been to help make urgent progress towards millennium development goals that state all children should have access to primary education. This has involved a range of innovative initiatives such as this one in Kenya:

When the Kenyan government announced the abolition of school fees in 2003, it set up bank accounts for primary schools across the country. Through training by ActionAid and partners, local school management committees gained confidence and skills to manage their own resources and track budget spending.

“Understanding how budgets work has given local people power to make informed choices about how best to use money allocated to schools. It has also helped to prevent misuse of funds enabling the abolition of school fees in Kenya to become something that genuinely helps poor communities and gives disadvantaged children better access to quality education,” said David Archer, ActionAid’s head of International Education.

HelpAge International (HAI)

The goal of the DFID/HAI partnership is to contribute to the eradication of poverty and the Millennium Development Goals through promoting equality of rights and opportunities for older people and maximising their contribution to society.

An example of this is the work HAI has undertaken in Tanzania that has resulted in the government’s new poverty reduction strategy (October 2004) including, for the first time, a social protection goal aimed at reducing vulnerability in old age.

During 2004, HAI and partner organisations worked with older people and other marginalised groups to input into government consultations on the revised poverty reduction strategy. Their submissions led to social as well as legal protection emerging as top priorities. HAI also worked directly with the Tanzania Government to suggest a set of pro-poor priority outcomes and strategies for action, based on older people’s concerns. These focused on three areas:

delivery of minimal social protection in old age and direct targeting of vulnerable groups

action to deliver existing old-age exemptions for health and other basic services

disaggregation of all poverty monitoring processes by age as well as by gender.

Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO)

1. One of VSO's largest programmes is in Ethiopia. VSO has 114 volunteers currently working in the country. The majority of volunteers in Ethiopia work in education, many as part of the Higher Diploma Programme, which, through a licensing programme, aims to improve the skills and professionalism of teacher trainers in Ethiopia. This year alone VSO volunteers have trained 1,363 Ethiopian teacher trainers who, in turn, will train more than 11,000 student teachers. These teachers will go on to teach nearly 800,000 children.

2. Susan Cook and Antony Makepeace from Preston worked as VSO Nurse Trainers at Guiyang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, China. One project they helped to set up has made a significant impact on their students, and local people.

"We worked with our students at the college to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS. The students wanted to help support local people with HIV and AIDS in Guizhou. With the students we designed an AIDS ribbon based on the red ribbon crossed with the traditional Chinese New Year good luck red knot. We had been told by some Chinese colleagues that few Chinese people would wear an AIDS ribbon because to them it signified death. We wanted to try and change the image of the red ribbon to something more positive by making the ribbon more beautiful and Chinese.

“The idea of a Chinese AIDS ribbon has been very popular. The project has been a huge success in China with ribbons being worn by Pu Cun Xin, a famous actor who is a representative for HIV and AIDS awareness in China. Our students tell us that he is the housewives' favourite in China. The students were ecstatic when they saw him wearing the ribbon at an AIDS concert in Beijing that was broadcast on national television. Most recently Kofi Annan was seen wearing one of the ribbons.

"The money raised is used to buy food, blankets and clothes for people with HIV and to support them and their families. The project is continuing in China, even though we have left, with the support of the college and VSO China, and people with HIV have a source of income by producing the ribbons."

Susan and Antony both work for Lancashire Teaching NHS Trust and are still selling ribbons, recently raising £70 for the project.

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Annex 1

The PPA programmes and the outcomes that they seek to achieve are as follows.

ActionAid

The capacity of people living with HIV and Aids, orphans and vulnerable children and their support organisations will be strengthened to engage meaningfully in decision making at all levels and in effective community responses to HIV and Aids. Teachers, children and young people in the UK will have increased their knowledge and understanding of global poverty and its causes, and have developed the skills and tools to become active citizens engaged in creating a more just and sustainable world. The capacity and actions of excluded and disadvantaged groups, especially girls and women to claim their rights and meet their basic needs (including education) will be strengthened.

ActionAid press office contact: Alice Wynne-Wilson, 0207 561 7614, aliceww@actionaid.org.uk 

Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)

DIFD will support CAFOD’s work to strengthen global Catholic and ecumenical networks, collaborating with people and communities of other faiths, open to interfaith alliances, and modelling inter-faith relationships. CAFOD will campaign for a more just distribution of the world’s resources, mobilising a wide supporter-base for action to influence key decision-makers in both South and North. CAFOD will lobby governments, the EU and international institutions on the development and reform of policies that affect the poor and build the capacity of partner organisations in the South to engage in credible advocacy and lobbying positions with regional and national governments. DFID and CAFOD will collaborate on HIV and AIDS strategies that integrate and mainstream HIV approaches at programmatic level, particularly through faith-based organisations at community level, and in the context of conflict and natural disasters, identifying good practice, learning and change in key programmatic work. CAFOD will build solidarity and global community, strengthening development awareness and increasing the number of people in CAFOD’s constituency in England and Wales who have a greater awareness of the causes of world poverty.

CAFOD press office contact: Patrick Nicholson, 0207 326 5559, pnicholson@cafod.org.uk 

Care International UK

PPA funding is enabling CARE to develop and share lessons and research on mechanisms to support both local civil society and the appropriate role of international development agencies; mainstream conflict-sensitive practices into development, relief and peace-building operations and develop capacity among international development/relief NGOs to implement peace-building programming; learn from CARE's worldwide HIV and AIDS programmes that focus on comprehensive integrated programming, mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS into other development sectors and work with orphans and vulnerable children, feeding this into policy initiatives that enable effective definition and implementation of national and international plans to meet UNGASS (UN Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS) targets; implement and document effective strategies to address HIV in the workplace - within CARE, with civil society employers and in the private sector; develop a deeper understanding, from practical experience, of the impact of corporate practice on poverty (including business-NGO partnerships and pro-poor business models); enable staff of operational development agencies to promote rights-based approaches in projects, programmes, and policy implementation; and increase knowledge on the skills and tools related to urban governance, through systematic and pro-active learning and sharing.

CARE International UK press office contact: Kate Bulbulian, 020 7934 9347, bulbulian@ciuk.org 

PANOS

The generation of more intensive and inclusive public debate. The creation of communication channels will enable people living in poverty to debate issues, communicate their perspectives in public and policy debate, and have their voices heard. The improvement of the policy dialogue with international organisations on promoting media pluralism. The increased capacity of media and other communication actors. The promotion of partnership, ownership and accountability within the response to HIV/AIDS.

PANOS press office contact: Mark Covey, 020 7239 7622, mark.covey@panos.org.uk 

Christian Aid

Poor people and their organisations are empowered and equipped to participate in decision making processes that affect their lives and to challenge the systems and structures that keep them poor. The movement for global justice is strengthened through increased public awareness in the UK of the root causes of poverty and injustice and increased support to local national and international networks. Christian Aid will have contributed to raising awareness about HIV, supported a decrease in HIV associated stigma and discrimination and through its partners effectively delivered HIV care and support. ODI Civil society organisations understand better how evidence can contribute to pro-poor policy processes. Regional capacity to support Southern civil society established. Useful information on current development policy issues, and how this knowledge can contribute to pro-poor policy, is easily accessible. Civil society participates actively in Southern and Northern policy networks to promote pro-poor policies.

Christian Aid press office contact: Judith Melby, 020 7523 2408, jmelby@christian-aid.org 

OXFAM

People living in poverty will achieve a sustainable livelihood. This will involve extending learning on and scaling-up our response to the impact of HIV on people's livelihoods and coping mechanisms. Poor and marginalised people will have an effective voice in influencing decisions affecting their lives. This will include ensuring the voices of orphans and children are heard, that they benefit from interventions, and that their special needs are addressed. Young people (primarily in the UK, but also in other countries in Europe and home countries of Oxfam International affiliates) become an informed and competent constituency for pro-poor change.

Oxfam press office contact: Paul McKinney, 01865 312243, pmckinney@oxfam.org.uk 

Save The Children (UK)

Evidence based approaches to addressing the effects of poverty on children developed and implemented. Vulnerable groups of children living in communities affected by HIV/AIDs receive more effective protection and support. Sustainable support for basic services is established. Vulnerable, hard to reach and socially excluded children are better protected from abuse, neglect and exploitation and are able to benefit from basic services and other opportunities. The participation of children is mainstreamed into development practice alongside the participation of other marginalised and discriminated-against groups. A better informed, more articulate civil society in the UK is actively supportive of the UK Government’s commitment to implementing the Millennium Development Goals and the expansion of official development to meet UN targets.

Save the Children UK press office contact: Ben Hewitt, 0207 012 6841, b.hewitt@savethechildren.org.uk 

VSO

Individual capabilities are built in order to effect positive political, social and economic change for poor people. The capacity of organisations is enhanced through people centred approaches, working in partnership and support for volunteerism. The organisations VSO supports will then increase their contribution to prop-poor political, social and economic change. Local, national and international policies in 2 priority goal areas are more pro-poor, and more effectively implemented. VSO aims to improve the lives of men, women and children affected and infected by HIV & AIDs and those denied access to quality Basic Education. Quality of organisational partnerships in UK is maintained and enhanced including global education partners. Public awareness of development issues is enriched and deepened in key target groups eg community, teachers, business and youth groups. VSO’s organisational effectiveness and transparency is maintained and enhanced.

VSO press office contact: Ms Neera Dhingra, Tel: 020 8780 7343, neera.dhingra@vso.org.uk 

WWF UK

Improved effectiveness of civil society and government institutions in delivering sustainable environmental and natural resource management that reduce poverty. Existing or improved policies that promote environmentally sustainable development are developed and applied.

WWF press office contact: Anthony Field, 01483 412379, afield@wwf.org.uk 

International Service

Skill sharing, Organisational and Institutional Development – to strengthen capacities of organisations to deliver effective pro-poor programmes and improve the way development is practiced at regional and country level, focusing on the prioritised target groups and themes defined in IS strategy 2005-2010:effective Mainstreaming of Disability by promoting inclusion and opportunities for Disabled people; effective Mainstreaming of Gender by promoting gender equality and increased inclusion and opportunities for women; improved welfare and respect of the rights of children and adolescents with particular reference to orphans and vulnerable children; increased awareness and promoted good practice in relation to HIV/AIDs and reproductive and sexual health with particular reference to vulnerable groups such as adolescents, disabled people, and women. Development Awareness – to increase awareness of development and extend the constituency for pro-poor policy change by promoting the concept of global citizenship. Increasing effectiveness of programme management and organisational processes: increase effectiveness of placements and programmes through a focussed, programmatic approach and improved partnership processes; increase organisational outputs by improving specific key processes within Human Resources, Knowledge Management, Public Relations and Fundraising as defined in IS strategy 2005-2010.

International Service press office contact: Jane Carter, 01904 647799, jcarter@internationalservice.org.uk 

Catholic Institute for International Relations (CIIR)

Strengthened capacity of partner organisations to organise, influence and participate in local, national and regional structures for poverty eradication, justice and accountability; engagement of partner organisations in international advocacy including with CIIR at an international level. Strengthened capacity of civil society organisations to enable communities (including faith communities) to respond effectively to HIV/AIDs. Strengthened capacity of partner organisations to ensure sustainable management of natural resources and to influence policies that impact on the environment; greater engagement of partners in international advocacy. Increased participation of partner faith based (FB) organisations in poverty reduction. Increased development awareness in the North.

CIIR press office contact: Christine Allan, 020 7288 8603

Skillshare International

Skillshare International will have supported our partners in their processes of organisational change to achieve their won visions and development outcomes in the sectors prioritised in our corporate strategy for 2005-2010. Our key sectors will be health, education, environment and economic empowerment. Skillshare International and our partner organisations will have contributed to the advancement of identified cross-cutting themes, human rights, HIV/AIDs, peace building and responding to conflict situations and gender. Skillshare International will have engaged effectively, both directly and in co-operation with our partners, in activities to achieve social change. Skillshare International will have further developed its own governance, management and systems to support its principal activities.

Skillshare press office contact details: Jessica Lowe, 0116 257 6607, jessica.lowe@skillshare.org 

Action on Disability in Development (ADD)

Democratic, representative and sustainable disabled people’s organisations with demonstrated capacity to plan, manage, fundraise and review their work. Disabled people’s organisations with the capacity to campaign for the rights of all disabled people at the local, regional and national level. Demonstrated understanding by governments and international development organisations of mainstreaming disability policy issues and incorporation of these into relevant policy documents and guidelines.

ADD press office contact: Ruth Knagg, 01373 473064, ruth.knagg@add.org.uk 

Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG)

Poor and marginalized people working in effective partnerships with public and private sector service providers. Evidence of the impact of technology change on the lives and livelihoods of the poor. Increased uptake of models of good practice for pro-poor technology development and transfer. Pro-poor policy and regulatory frameworks that reflect the expressed demands and needs of the poor. Increased civil society support in the North and South for sustainable pro-poor technology development and uptake.

ITDG press office contact: Ian Bray, 01926 634556, ianb@itdg.org.uk 

International HIV/AIDS Alliance

Improved coverage of effective community-focused HIV/AIDs action. Strengthened leadership and capacity of civil society to effectively participate in national responses to HIV/AIDs. Improved national and international policy and financial environment for more effective civil society responses to HIV/AIDs

International HIV/AIDS Alliance press office contact: Simon Moore, 01273 718744, smoore@aidsalliance.org 

HelpAge International

Increased numbers of older people in developing countries have access to a non-contributory basic pension and to free health care. Increased access and inclusion of older people in the planning and implementation of programmes, which enable them to secure a livelihood. A global network of civil society organisations is providing a voice for older people in key policy processes at national and international levels. The global fight against HIV/AIDs includes older people at risk from infection, older care-givers and the role of older people in families affected by HIV/AIDs. Increased inclusion of older people’s issues in the policies of governments and other agencies addressing discrimination and reduction of harmful practices.

HelpAge International press office contact: Faith Mall, 020 7278 7778, press@helpage.org 

WaterAid

Increase support to sustainable and affordable water and sanitation, to ensure that the poor and vulnerable are included in the 2015 MDG targets. Support for the implementation of DFID’s Water Action Plan, particularly where DFID country offices have not prioritised water and sanitation. Water and sanitation issues promoted within health, education and livelihoods sectors. Local government and municipal capacity increased, improving the accountability of service providers through greater transparency, accountability and participation. Increased campaigning and public awareness to ensure water is at the centre of co-ordinated campaigning activities.

WaterAid press office contact: Charlotte Godber tel: 020 7793 4553.

Overseas Development Institute (ODI)

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) play a vital role in poverty eradication by empowering the poor so that their voices are heard when decisions that affect their lives are made. ODI has been working with government, non-government and private sector organisations in the north and south for the past 40 years and has launched a new programme designed to promote improved contribution by CSOs to pro-poor national and international development policies. This focuses on four outcomes: enabling CSOs to understand better how evidence can contribute to pro-poor policy processes; establishing regional capacity to support Southern CSOs; providing and making accessible useful information on current development policy issues, and how this knowledge can contribute to pro-poor policy; assisting CSOs to participate actively in Southern and Northern policy networks to promote pro-poor policies.

ODI Press Office contact: Peter Gee, 020 7922 0300, p.gee@odi.org.uk 

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Annex 2
DFID/UK NGO Partnership Programme Agreement Funding
2005 - 2006

Notes to Editors

1. The increases detailed here relate only to DFID’s two main funding schemes for UK NGOs. Further funding is provided both through support for humanitarian assistance in emergency situations, and through funding from individual country programme budgets.

2. In 2003/04 DFID channelled £220 million through UK civil society organisations £59 million on Partnership Programme Agreements (PPAs), £87 million for humanitarian emergencies, £64 million through DFID individual country programmes, £9 million for Civil Society Challenge Fund projects, £1 million on outstanding commitments to a fund that was replaced by the Civil Society Challenge Fund.

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