ActionAid Media Centre

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond will today (13 March) announce a free sanitary product scheme across all secondary schools in England in a bid to combat period poverty.

Ahead of today’s Westminster debate on the future of DFID ActionAid call on parliamentarians to

recognise the very real difference the department makes to the lives of women and girls now. 

At ActionAid we know first-hand that women and girls are at the sharp end of global poverty. One in three are likely to experience violence at the hands of an intimate partner or someone they know; they take on the bulk of unpaid care and domestic work – on average 2.5 times more than men; and are more likely to be in low-paid precarious jobs.

Plans for a new Conservative vision for a post-Brexit ‘Global Britain’ says DfID could be folded into the Foreign Office and aid spending redefined. The proposals feature in a report called Global Britain: A Blueprint for the 21st century which outlines multi billion pound cuts in the UK foreign aid budget. Slashing our commitment to ending global poverty, and breaking up the Department for International Development in support of furthering the political and commercial interests of an increasingly ‘little’ Britain.  

The Secretary of State for International Development, Penny Mordaunt, has told MPs that the government should focus on attracting private donations and reduce reliance on taxpayers’ money. 

The UK’s Domestic Abuse Bill is a step in the right direction; putting the spotlight on perpetrators, not survivors. However, more support is needed. 

ActionAid welcomes the commitment to investing in grassroots organisations and women’s rights activists across Africa

“Misogynistic hate crime isn’t trivial. Violence against women and girls starts with deep-rooted misogynistic attitudes.”

The Secretary of State for International Development, Penny Mordaunt, has proposed changes to the way that the UK government funds aid projects around the world. Her proposals, outlined in a speech this morning, include the potential use of for-profit investments by the private sector as part of aid programmes.

“The Rohingya people can no longer survive on empty promises, we must seek justice for survivors.”

“This sends a message that sexual harassment will not be tolerated, and women will be listened to and supported by the legal system.”

ActionAid UK’s statement on the inquiry into sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector published today by MPs.

“To solve the problem once and for all, we need to take a moment to consider the magnitude of the problem.”

“This a breakthrough for all of those – including ActionAid – who have for years called for global financial transparency.”

ActionAid condemns this appalling attack on innocent people – including women and children.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has launched a £7 million fund to support female entrepreneurs across the Commonwealth. The scheme, named SheTrades, will help women in poorer countries “overcome barriers” to starting a business. 

With a year to go until Brexit, we’ve heard a lot about how UK trade will bring prosperity to us and to others – including developing countries and the Commonwealth. But ministers need to get this right, otherwise we could do more harm than good. Comment from ActionAid UK. 

UK international development sector’s five commitments to improving the standards and delivery of safeguards.

ActionAid UK’s statement on DfID’s Strategic Vision

“As we pass this grim milestone, there are serious questions over the fate of the Rohingya refugees.”

MPs will tomorrow (20th February 2018) debate measures to address money laundering, amid concerns from NGOs that a current Government proposal fails to address a lack of transparency in UK-linked tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands. The UK Government has weakened its stance towards these tax havens since the Brexit referendum vote.

“Boris Johnson’s visit to Cox’s Bazaar is a welcome signal of the UK’s commitment to responding to this crisis. The documented and widespread human rights violations against the Rohingya population that led them to flee Myanmar still remain a threat.”

Mike Noyes, Deputy Director of Humanitarian Policy and Practice at ActionAid UK, responds to the Foreign Affairs Committee’s (FAC) report on violence in Rakhine State and the UK’s response.

Action Against Hunger UK, ActionAid UK, Christian Aid, Save the Children UK and the International Rescue Committee UK issue a joint statement calling for an end to violence in Myanmar and immediate access for humanitarian aid.

More than 300 people have been killed in mudslides and flooding near Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, following heavy rains.

Following a government report on transparency of UK Aid budget spend, ActionAid UK seeks re-opening of International Development Committee inquiry on aid budget management by non–DFID departments.

A new ActionAid report provides detailed evidence of the link between domestic violence and women and girls’ ability to control their bodies and fertility.

Ssome of the world’s poorest people are set to suffer the consequences as the Trump administration plans to withdraw from Paris climate change agreement.

New ComRes poll of Great Britain reveals that eight in ten British adults support new measures to crackdown on tax havens and corporate tax avoidance.

Education is a vital tool in the fight against global poverty. Women and girls stand to benefit the most from improved school access.

Somalia aid response critically underfunded.  World risks repeat of 2011 famine which killed 250,000 people.

Horn of Africa drought means women and girls in Somaliland and Kenya are facing devastating impacts, including sexual violence. 

As the leaders of the UK’s Overseas Territories gather in London today to meet Theresa May, a new poll has revealed that Britain’s politicians back a crackdown on tax havens and tax dodging. 

Calling on Prime Minster Theresa May to bring critical women’s rights issues to the table when she meets Donald Trump.

This welcome report from ICAI, the UK’s aid watchdog, has confirmed that UK aid delivered in the form of cash transfers is helping to lift millions of people out of poverty.

ActionAid is calling on the Government to help poor countries raise a fair share of tax by supporting this Bill to ensure UK tax treaties support efforts to tackle tax dodging and find sustanable routes out of poverty

Secretive tax laws, sweetheart deals and tax havens make it possible for big companies to dodge tax on a massive scale. The world should not be reliant on whistleblowers to reveal corporate tax dodging.

ActionAid welcomes this recognition of the role of grassroots organisations at the frontline of the fight against violence. This is an important step forward and we hope that the Government will continue to build on this commitment in the future.

Cuts to corporation tax will fuel a global race to the bottom and undermine efforts to ensure companies pay their fair share of tax in the world’s poorest countries

ActionAid’s Head of Advocacy comments on the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions. 

EU tax reform proposals simply don’t go far enough. Loopholes, tax havens and the race to the bottom on corporate tax rates are hurting people in the world’s poorest countries as well as in Europe. Europe should require big companies to publish how much tax they pay in every country where they do business.

“This report confirms that UK aid’s approach to tackling tax avoidance is incoherent, ineffective and is in danger of failing to deliver for the world’s poorest people. Women and children living in poverty suffer when schools and hospitals are starved of funding by corporate tax avoidance, estimated to cost developing countries a staggering US$200 billion a year.

ActionAid resopnds to reports of a major fire in Moria camp, Lesvos.

We are encouraged by the Prime Minister’s commitment to tackle tax avoidance and create a fairer economy. Now we need concrete action.

Apple asked to pay up to 13 billion for tax avoidance

ActionAid alongside 39 public figures, aid agencies and women’s rights’ organisations, call on Priti Patel to show “strong leadership” and lead the fight for gender equality.

One in three Nigerian women aged 25-29 have been subject to violence. UK Government support for women and girls in Nigeria is welcome, but efforts to tackle violence against women and girls are weak and support services for survivors need to be stepped up.

Healthcare, schools and other key public services are left starved of resources as they are deprived of tax revenues.

The generosity and commitment of Britain is transforming the lives of some of the poorest people in the world. ActionAid uses UK aid to to support girls living in poverty to go to school, respond to humanitarian crises like the Nepal earthquakes and support women in Africa to claim their human rights and learn new skills. 

ActionAid has launched an urgent refugee response programme in Athens in response to the escalating crisis in the Greek capital. 

New ActionAid research highlights global epidemic of violence against women in cities.

The release of the Panama Papers data is an unprecedented step forward for the public, journalists and campaigners

Nepal Government fails to fund a single new home for hundreds of thousands of people affected by last years earthquake disaster 

On the two year anniversary of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping, a video showing a group of Nigerian girls has just been released.

The Prime Ministers proposals to tackle UK-linked tax havens  will not curb massive corporate tax avoidance connected to UK-linked tax havens

The human rights of people fleeing war and persecution have been shamefully traded away at the political negotiating table.

ActionAid has joined with other charities to call on global leaders to pledge to achieve the UNHCR target of resettlement and alternative pathways for at least 10 percent of Syria’s nearly five million refugees.

Mike Noyes, Head of Humanitarian Response at ActionAid UK calls on EU leaders to remember the people at the heart of this crisis.

One in three young people in the world is either unemployed or working yet living in poverty. TTIP-style trade deals could push more people in poor countries into low pay, low skill jobs, according to a new report from ActionAid.

The UK has topped a global league table ranking countries by the number of tax treaties they have that severely limit poor countries’ ability to collect taxes from multinational companies.

ActionAid responds to DFID’s new approach on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGB&T) rights. 

ActionAid responds to the latest UK government commitment to double aid funding to Syrian refugees.

The EU have announced new proposals to review the Dublin Agreement, where refugees must claim asylum in the first country they arrive in, and will require EU countries like the UK to resettle a greater number of refugees. 

Nigeria, which has some of the highest child and maternal mortality rates in the world, lost US$3.3billion of tax revenue to oil giants Shell, Total and ENI.

ActionAid calls for urgent action on International Migrants Day

ActionAid welcomes the appointment of Baroness Verma as Ministerial Champion for Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Overseas.

ActionAid responds to the G77 and China joint statement on funding at COP21.

Huge majority of public back new laws to clamp down on tax havens — ActionAid / Oxfam poll

ActionAid welcomes the positive news that, a year and a half after the first outbreak, Sierra Leone has finally been declared Ebola-free. 

ActionAid is assessing the situation and impact of the earthquake, which comes exactly six months after the quakes which devastated Nepal.

24 major aid agencies make unprecedented demand for investigation into bombing of MSF hospital in Afghanistan

The OECD’s plan to tackle global tax avoidance ignores the problems faced by the world’s poorest countries in collecting their fair share of tax from corporations.

David Cameron’s announcement that the UK will resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees over 5 years is too slow, ActionAid warns.

Women’s rights targets in the text but implementation is the challenge.

An ActionAid report and poll finds that officials are ignoring laws to end violence against women, curtailing funding to women's rights organisations and failing to protect female activists

ActionAid Uganda has stopped working on any health-related genetically modified foods campaigns.

ActionAid has Nigeria based experts available for media interviews on Boko Haram, as the terrorist group attack the north-eastern city of Maiduguri.

ActionAid’s Country Director in Nigeria, Hussaini Abdu is available for interviews on what we must do to stop Boko Haram terrorising and killing innocent people.

126 people have been killed in a Taliban assault on a school in Peshawar, Pakistan.

Celebrities show their support for campaign to give a future to children living in poverty.

Survey says the majority of British adults say even legal tax avoidance is morally wrong.

New poll data shows how little confidence women in Afghanistan have in the judicial system and police.

Actress and ActionAid ambassador Emma Thompson “heartbroken” over the Ebola crisis in Liberia.

Good news as Nigeria is declared Ebola-free. 

ActionAid warns people are going hungry because of an Ebola-created economic crisis in West Africa.

We comment on David Cameron’s Speech at the New York climate summit — those who marched in the climate demonstrations will expect a binding global agreement.

MPs vote to make 0.7 per cent aid target legally binding on future governments.

Labour appoints first shadow minister to tackle violence against women and girls.

The Disasters Emergency Committee will launch an appeal on Friday 8 August for people affected by the conflict in Gaza.

100 days on from the abduction of the Nigerian schoolgirls, ActionAid calls on the Nigerian government to do everything in its power to rescue the girls as well as end criticisism of the Bring Back Our Girls coalition.

Ebola tightens its grip on West Africa and we call for more public education.

As the End Sexual Violence in Conflict summit draws to a close, governments must ensure that the difference is felt in real practical steps and actions.

We talk about the issues behind the World Cup 2014.

Award winning singer-songwriter, Jake Bugg sees ActionAid’s work with young Brazillians for himself.

ActionAid condemns the abduction of more than 200 girls from their school in Chibok, north-east Nigeria.

Barclays bosses plan to pay themselves millions in bonuses whilst helping businesses set up in tax havens, ActionAid claimed today.

One year after its launch the DEC Syria Crisis Appeal has funded help to over 300,000 people.