Save the aid!

We face enormous challenges. The pandemic has led to increased hunger and poverty, and set back gender equality by decades. The climate crisis is affecting people's daily lives and conflicts are on the rise. Democracy and human rights are under severe threat in many parts of the world. A recent Oxfam report showed that a quarter of a million people are at risk of falling into extreme poverty before the end of the year. The situation is urgent and extremely serious, and rich countries have a special responsibility to contribute to a safer and more equal world. Together with 60 other organizations in Concord Sweden, we protest against the fact that Sweden in this situation chooses to cut aid and reduce support for the most vulnerable.

Sweden has been providing one percent of our Gross National Income (GNI) in aid for decades. This aid is recognized as effective and is crucial for millions of people. It can mean the difference between life and death, education and poverty, freedom and violence.

There are parties in the Swedish Parliament that now want to take back our promise to the world. In its spring budget, the government has already cut aid by almost a fifth. Other parties are campaigning to cut even more, taking money from those who have the least. Such cuts have disastrous consequences, such as leaving 760,000 hungry people without food, 2 million children without access to school and 2 million people without access to clean water.

Our politicians need to know that there are many of us who do not accept that Sweden is letting these people down. Sign the petition to save aid!