I’m sorry Mr McCully, we didn’t realise that you were playing the game of Chicken-licken. We thought that it was a serious discussion about best practice development policy!

As the Minister says, it’s done: NZAID is merged back into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the key focus statement is changed from ‘poverty alleviation’ to ‘sustainable economic growth’.

However, perhaps he did listen to some of our protests. Although NZAID is merged back into the ministry, we are assured that it will not be the same as in the days before its establishment. NZAID will continue to exist as an organisation within MFAT, with specialist staff, its own budget, and its own priorities (although these will have to be aligned with overall foreign affairs policy). Initially at least, the changes are designed to ensure budget savings by rationalising management and financial systems through the whole Ministry. While we continue to oppose the use of development aid as a foreign policy tool, the promise of continued budget increases is welcome. If the saving achieved by the merger means that the total amount of money goes further, then we will all be cheering!

Even the revised statement of NZAID priorities, while, as promised, putting economic growth at the top, continues to include the basic development principles:

Through its development assistance, NZAID supports activities that encourage economic growth; help to create safe, just and inclusive societies; fulfil basic needs; achieve environmental sustainability; and reduce hardship.
Currents magazine, April 2009

Economic growth and poverty elimination are two sides of the same coin. They are not opposites, and Mr McCully is right in saying that economic growth is necessary to enable the governments of poor countries to do more for their own people.

If NZAID programmes can produce economic growth that creates “safe, just and inclusive societies; fulfils basic needs; achieves environmental sustainability; and reduces hardship” then no one will be objecting.

Economic growth should be “safe, just and inclusive”, but history shows that free markets are not the way that happens. The developing countries have discovered this to their cost, which is why many of them are now baulking at the WTO Doha Round trade negotiations. “Free Trade” has not been free, and has worked to the advantage of the wealthy partner. There are too many examples where economic growth has either bypassed, or worse still, been at the expense of the poorer communities of a developing country.

It will not be enough for Mr McCully to use trade and tourism statistics as the objective measure of the success or failure of his approach. Both trade and tourism can be used to either help or to exploit the poor. Large scale, up-market tourist resorts on Pacific Islands look good and make big profits for their owners while injecting very little into the local economy.

How are we to address the Pacific trade deficits that Mr McCully rightly points out are unconscionably in New Zealand’s favour? Do we stop importing South American bananas and promote the development of large scale banana plantations in the Pacific? The history of corporate ownership of banana plantations is ugly reading, containing stories of land-grabbing and serious exploitation of workers.

Trade as a development tool is do-able. This is Fair Trade fortnight, and the principles of the Fair Trade movement have been promoted. Fair trade should not be just a niche market but can become a foundation for the mainstream economy. Pro-poor business can be based on standards of corporate social responsibility that respect the rights and needs of producers and workers in the developing countries. Growth does not have to be through sweat-shop production!

The real measure of the success of Mr McCully’s economic growth policy for development aid will be in the extent to which that growth reaches the poorest communities. We have yet to hear how he intends to make that happen, but we are ready to work with him if he shares the vision for pro-poor growth.

Paul Thompson
Micah Challenge Aotearoa New Zealand

• The second biggest killer of children under five worldwide is the lack of clean and accessible drinking water.
• Nearly 5,000 children die every day as a result of water-related diseases including cholera, typhoid and malaria.
• Just $1 can provide a child with safe drinking water for 30 days.  

What’s the Tap Project about?

This is the second year that New Zealand has taken part in The Tap Project (also running in the US) and already a record 300+ restaurants and cafes across the country have signed up to participate, including a number of major chains (all listed on our website: www.tapproject.org.nz).  

In the lead up to World Water Day on 22 March, the campaign celebrates the clean and plentiful tap water Kiwis are lucky enough to enjoy, while helping UNICEF provide safe drinking water for the world’s poorest children, with this year’s proceeds going to specific projects in Laos. 

Five easy ways to get involved

It’s really easy for everyone to get involved and a great way to make a life-saving difference to the futures of thousands of children.

1. Dine out or have a coffee at participating establishments and make a donation whilst there – all venues listed at www.tapproject.org.nz/restaurants.html
2. Make a donation online at www.tapproject.org.nz or by texting TAP to 833 ($3 automatic donation)
3. Join the Facebook group and help spread the word about the Tap Project. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=11175254404
4. Get your school or workplace involved by running water-themed events or activities, e.g. donations for drinking water from the water cooler. Download free education resources at www.tapproject.org.nz
5. Come to UNICEF’s World Water Day events:  On World Water Day - Sunday 22 March, local councillors will join a water challenge to coincide with Wellington’s dragon boat festival. On Sunday 5 April, an attempt will be made in Auckland to break the Guinness World Record for the largest ever simultaneous squirting of water pistols.   

Celebrity support

Many New Zealand celebrities are supporting the campaign, including Mike McRoberts, Alison Mau, Jay Reeves and Amber Peebles.

Further Information:

• For news, videos, online donation and useful info and links: www.tapproject.org.nz
• Media enquiries: david@unicef.org.nz (David Youngmeyer)
• General enquiries: carolyn@unicef.org.nz (Carolyn Shivanandan)
• UNICEF NZ: www.unicef.org.nz

The article is worth reading for anyone who didn’t catch it. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10559807

NZ has been one of the worst performers in terms of our aid contribution as a percentage of our GNI (gross domestic income), and are one of only 3 countries who have not set a timetable for honouring our .7% pledge (Australia and Japan are the other two).

However, the aid that we do give tends to be given well. That is to say the aid is not tied or linked to the donor countries political agenda. New Zealand aid was separated from Ministry or Foreign affairs seven years ago. The 2005 OECD DAC peer review report on NZAID, speaking of the 2002 changes, said “The reorientation of New Zealand’s development co-operation has been impressive… The creation of NZAID can be considered a success. In practice, its semi-autonomous status has been appropriate, allowing the agency to focus on poverty reduction and ensuring that the development programme is separate from - albeit coherent with - the foreign policy agenda.”

McCully said that poverty elimination should not be the focus of NZAid, rather it should be economic development. “You could ride around in a helicopter pushing hundred-dollar notes out the door and call that poverty elimination.” This is grossly unfair to the work of NZAid. In reality poverty elimination and economic development are always related, and getting the balance right is the work of all development and aid workers. The problem with talking of economic development in separation from poverty reduction is that it might simply be a door to assisting trade and business interest at the expense of those who are most marginalized and in need.

The role of aid is to say ‘what do you most need, and how can we help;’ the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is to ask ‘what are our goals, and how can we advance them. It is not that one is good and one bad, simply that they are conflicting goals. This is the reason some degree of independence and separation is necessary. McCully wants to make sure that NZAid is working towards Government policy. Well of course, that is not in question. All departments should work towards government policy; the question is which policy aims should they be working towards? Those of our humanitarian and aid policies, or our Trade and Foreign Affairs policies?

The Oxfam press release is well worth reading.

It was reported that the Clark-led government in its final term increased its aid budget to $400 million, about 0.3 percent of gross national income. Certainly something to be applauded as this was an increase from our previous 2.7% contribution. What was not reported was that at the millennium development summit of 2000 New Zealand (along with all other attending nations) pledged .7% of GDP to aid. New Zealand remains one of the poorest performers in terms of our percentage contribution.

Offical Development Aid 2006

For more details on the campaign to hold ourselves accountable to our contribution promise visit the pointseven site.

If Helen gets the position will she be encouraging OECD governments to honour this commitment? Is this the inherent flaw in any such role? That in such a position you encourage others to do what you yourself are not prepared - or able - to do when in power yourself?

The National government have giving all their support to Helen Clark in her application for this role. Does this, I wonder, mean that they will endeavour to take her advice (should it happen to be given) and raise our contribution to the level promised?

The leaders of New Zealand churches are deeply concerned about the dire situation in Gaza and support the call for an immediate ceasefire in the region

The escalation of violence and associated increase in civilian casualties is intolerable. It is time for concerted action to end the suffering of the 1.5 million people trapped within the 360 square kilometers of Gaza with little food, water and medicine, and under almost continuous attack from the land, sea and air.

Before the collapse of the ceasefire in December, the borders of Gaza were tightly controlled and movement in and out very difficult. Now the conditions are much more lethal. The consequences of this unparalleled pressure cannot be underestimated. Already many innocent civilians have been killed and injured. People are living in perpetual fear and growing numbers of people are in desperate need of food and water as well as medical treatment. The trauma will have a lasting effect on everyone and is undermining any possibility of negotiating a just and sustainable peace.

To date the international community has failed to broker a lasting peace. We urge the New Zealand government to do all that it can through the United Nations and through its own diplomatic efforts to call a halt to Israel’s military offensive and the Hamas attacks. New Zealand has an obligation to uphold the international community’s ‘Responsibility to Protect’ populations from war crimes as agreed at the United Nations’ Millennium Summit.

As followers of Jesus, who exercised his ministry of reconciliation in this troubled region, Christians are deeply concerned about Jewish-Palestinian enmity. While religion is often tragically used to fuel inherited hostilities, it can also be a force for shalom/salaam. It is our hope and prayer that all adherents of the three Abrahamic faiths in that region (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) might truly seek the way of peace and reconciliation to which their scriptures bear witness.

We encourage church members and all people of goodwill to:

- Pray for the victims and perpetrators of violence in Gaza and Israel.
- Pray for the success of diplomatic efforts between Hamas, the Israeli Government and the international community.
- Pray for peace and reconciliation.
- Advocate for the New Zealand government, world leaders and the United Nations to take effective action to renew the ceasefire in Gaza and work towards a just resolution of the conflict in the interests of long term security and peace.
- Support the Christian World Service and Caritas Gaza Appeals providing desperately needed food, fuel, water and medicines in Gaza.

13 January 2009
Jabez Bryce, Bishop of Polynesia
Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia
John A Dew, Archbishop of Wellington
Roman Catholic Church of New Zealand
Rodney Macann, National Leader
Baptist Union of New Zealand
Garth McKenzie, Territorial Commander
The Salvation Army
David Moxon, Senior Bishop of the New Zealand Dioceses
Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia
Graham Redding, Assembly Moderator
Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
Mia Tay, Clerk
Quaker Peace and Service Aotearoa New Zealand
Religious Society of Friends
Brown Turei, Bishop of Aotearoa
Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia
Jill van der Geer, President
Methodist Church of New Zealand

“Well, this aid thing has been going on for decades, I’ve donated thousands over the years and nothing seems to be changing - so what’s the point?”

But actually, in many parts of the world, things are improving.

Brief case-study: Water

Over the last 15 years, over 1.2 billion people have gained access to improved drinking water through the efforts of UNICEF alone. And the World Health Organisation’s cost-benefit analysis on water and sanitation shows that for every dollar spent, the average returns are valued at between $3 and $34, depending on the region. That’s pretty good economics!

Global coverage of safe drinking water increased from 78 % to 83 % between 1990 and 2004. And global access to basic sanitation has risen from 49 % in 1990 to 59 % today, with South Asia more than doubling its numbers during the period. In East Asia and the Pacific, the proportion jumped from 30 per cent to over 50 per cent. Hey, we are making progress!

These stats are no reason to become complacent, but it’s so encouraging and motivating to know that we are making a difference. We do still have a really long way to go -1 in 6 people still lack access to safe water and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation, putting people at risk of diarrhoea, cholera and heaps of other potentially fatal water-borne diseases - but we can do it! Take a look at these sites for info on World Water Day and your chance to make a difference:

UNICEF - Water and Sanitation

UN - World Water Day ‘08

Oxfam - World Water Day 2008

P.S. I’ve just come across a site that lets you calculate your annual water consumption (or your “water footprint”). It’s an interesting site, but I found it hard to estimate my weekly consumption of different types of food in kilogrammes. Also, the site lacks any relative measures, and I think it would be useful to show what the main things are that you could do to lower your consumption. Definitely still worth checking out though.

If anyone knows of better sites to calculate water footprints it’d be great if you could put it in comments below!

Here’s some feedback from the ’state of play’ in Rwanda.

The Millennium Village cluster in Rwanda is located in Mayange, a sub-sector of Bugesera District and located about 40 km south of Kigali. The cluster is comprised of 50,000 returnees who came back to Rwanda after the 1994 genocide — many of whom had been living in exile or as refugees under President Habyarimana’s regime.
Bugesera was one of the areas worst hit by the genocide; it is also home to Ntarama church, now a genocide memorial where over 5,000 people were slaughtered in a single day.

The project began working with an initial 5,000 people in early 2006 — a population that was not only coming to grips with a devastating past but was also on the verge of starvation because of failing rains and a poor harvest the year before.

By applying targeted, science-based interventions and maximizing community leadership and participation, the villagers have gone from chronic hunger to a bumper harvest, malaria incidence is significantly down, the health clinic is booming with patients who know they’ll get good care and treatment, and children now have electricity and a computer lab at school.

In just a year and a half, Mayange is on the verge of transformation. The Government of Rwanda recently announced its plans to scale the Millennium Villages project to all 30 districts. Each district will have a Millennium Village in the poorest region of each.

The district strategy is being incorporated into Rwanda’s national development strategy called Vision 2020, thereby taking the Millennium Villages project to unprecedented scale.

Successes to date include:
Malaria incidence is down from about 75 percent to just 10 percent thanks to a mass distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets and malaria testing and treatment at the health clinic.
Maternal and child mortality rates are dramatically improving. The number of pregnant women now coming to the clinic to deliver has quadrupled because improved health facilities are helping to ensure safe births. Before the project began, only 10 mothers came to the clinic on average to deliver. Now, that number has increased to approximately 40-50 women. The clinic anticipates that that number will jump to 70-80 in the coming months.
Agriculture yieldshave tripled and the villagers have set up a cereal bank to store grain and help curb the risk of food insecurity. Farmers have also started terracing which is proving to be highly effective in combating soil erosion and harvesting rainwater.

The villagers are diversifying into high-value crops and are planting fruit trees such as avocado, mango and pomegranate trees. They are also planting beans and sweet potatoes to sell at nearby Nyamata market for extra income. The local primary school has been electrified and a computer lab has been set up. The computer lab is helping students to learn computer literacy and helping teachers improve their curriculums and grading system.
activities such as basket weaving. There is a group of 32 women who have received training and materials and are just months away from producing top-quality baskets to be exported internationally.

The project is opening up the community to access to microcredit. Over 75 percent of the farmers took out a loan for agriculture inputs such as seed and fertilizer, thereby reducing dependence on outside financial assistance. All farmers who took out a loan were required to prove that their entire family had health insurance (la mutuelle), which has helped ensure mass health coverage for the community.

The proportion of the female population using contraception has tripled, thanks to mandatory family planning consultations with both men and women at the health clinic.

A newly-founded nursery school for children ages 3-6 is helping to improve child care and to ensure women are able to get back to work more quickly.

For more information check out: www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/millenniumvillages/barry-commoner.html

Also Check out Sauri_Baseline_Report_final_3-7-07.pdf at the same site for The Millenium Research Village report containing the results of the baseline surveys and measurements taken in Sauri between January 2005 and Jan 2006.

The Goals include measurable, time-bound targets addressing poverty and hunger, education, maternal and child health, the prevalence of diseases including HIV/AIDs, gender equality, the environment, debt, trade justice and aid. This article is sourced from the excellent website for the Micah Challenge - a network of which we are a part through Micah NZ. There are some excellent resources available through these sites.

If you would like to read the progress report on the status of the MDGs, you can get it here http://unstats.un.org/.

The Anglican Position

The official position of the Anglican Church is determined through General Synod. For those who are interested, the Anglican Church resolved at the last meeting of its General Synod (2006) to support the MDGs. This means our official position is in active support of these goals.

The Millennium Declaration

The MDGs are derived from the broader “Millennium Declaration” that was signed in 2000 by all UN member states. Please take a moment to scan the Millennium Declaration. It reaffirms values including equality, mutual respect, and shared responsibility for the condition of all peoples. It relates the MDGs to an even a broader context, including peace and human rights. Go to the Millennium Declaration

The Goals

Goal 1: Hunger

• Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day
• Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger

Goal 2: Ensure access to primary schooling for all children

• Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

• Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and to all levels of education no later than 2015

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

• Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the number of children 5 years old or younger who die from preventable illnesses

Goal 5: Improve maternal health

• Reduce by three-quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the number of women who die giving birth

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

• Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS
• Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

• Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources
• Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation
• By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers

Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development (trade/aid/debt)

• Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system
• Address the Special Needs of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) [Includes: tariff and quota free access for LDC exports; enhanced programme of debt relief for HIPC and cancellation of official bilateral debt; and more generous ODA (Overseas Development Assistance) for countries committed to poverty reduction]
• Address the Special Needs of landlocked countries and small island developing States (through the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and the outcome of the 22nd special session of the General Assembly)
• Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term
• In co-operation with developing countries, develop and implement strategies for decent and productive work for youth
• In co-operation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable, essential drugs in developing countries
• In co-operation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications