Recommendations & Conclusions
10 items
1
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
The effects of COVID-19, climate change and conflict are undermining decades of progress on eliminating extreme poverty. Extreme poverty drives conflict, displacement and migration. Eliminating extreme poverty is fundamental to everyone’s security and prosperity. (Paragraph 23) Effective interventions
Government response. The government agrees that COVID-19, climate change and conflict undermine progress towards eliminating extreme poverty and acknowledges that this goal is vital for security and prosperity.
2
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
We welcome the FCDO’s position papers on health systems strengthening for global health security and universal health coverage, and ending preventable deaths of mothers, babies and children by 2030. We recommend the Government builds on these, and the disability inclusion and rights strategy, and develops a coherent cross- departmental Global …
Government response. The government states that officials are working across government on global health via a HMG Strategic Framework. Ministers are considering options for communicating their shared cross-government strategic framework building on existing papers. They will continue to use multilateral and bilateral …
8
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
In summary, by weaving a tapestry of the most critical interventions, including cash, capacity-building and financial inclusion, graduation programmes have a transformative and long-term impact on the poorest households, which reap sustained economic and social benefits that far outweigh the cost of initial investment. This methodology originated from a DFID-funded …
Government response. The government is committed to the SDGs and the Leave No One Behind agenda through the International Development Strategy with a focus on women and girls and humanitarian prevention and response and mentions the FCDO's three-pronged approach.
11
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
In the current global climate, the need to ‘put the last first’ is perhaps even greater than it was at the gavelling of the Sustainable Development Goals. The UK Government can help catalyse global action, reinstate UK leadership, and ensure coherence with domestic strategy, by creating a deliberate and dedicated …
Government response. The government stated its commitment to the SDGs and the Leave No One Behind agenda through the International Development Strategy, focusing on women and girls and humanitarian prevention and response. It outlined a three-pronged approach: understanding who is left behind …
12
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
We welcome the Government’s decision to appoint a Minister for Development who will attend Cabinet. We also welcome the response to our letter that the Government is still committed to the ‘Leave no one behind’ pledge, but we were disappointed by the lack of explicit mention of that pledge in …
Government response. The government reaffirmed its commitment to the 'Leave no one behind' pledge. It outlined how the UK will deliver on the SDGs, including SDG 1, through the International Development Strategy and its alignment to Agenda 2030’s ‘Five Ps’.
13
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
We recognise that the FCDO may not have automatically carried over DFID’s targets. As the proportion of extremely poor people living in fragile and conflict- affected states and regions continues to rise, however, this link must be recognised in targeting Official Development Assistance spending. The FCDO should recommit to DFID’s …
Government response. The government stated that Fragile and Conflict Affected States (FCAS) are central in the IDS. They outlined how they will draw on combined diplomatic, defence and development capabilities to prevent and reduce conflict. ODA allocations will be directed towards the …
15
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
Cutting funding mid-programme and awarding short-term contracts may help the Government to stay within its 0.5% GNI target, but it risks undermining previous investments and undoing hard-won progress. The most effective programmes should be scaled up and allocated long-term funding. (Paragraph 80) Extreme poverty and the Sustainable Development Goals 55
Government response. The government stated that there are no quick fixes to development challenges. They invest in research and evidence, including through a 'best buys' approach and monitors the performance of its programmes. FCDO programmes tend to be multi-year in nature and …
17
Conclusion
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
The UK Government must trust and fund what works. Policy and spend must be dedicated to interventions that deliver, at scale, to and with those most in need. Investing in long-term partnerships provides the key to long-term change. Should ODA levels stagnate, the requirement to ensure that assistance is well-spent …
Government response. The Government is committed to spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA as soon as the fiscal situation allows and is strengthening the governance of cross-government ODA.
18
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
Trade and investment are proven means of reducing poverty, but the Government cannot rely on “trickle-down development”. Policies based on trade and investment must include the world’s poorest people. As the Government increases ODA spending through development finance, it is vital that such spending targets the poorest and is not …
Government response. The FCDO is developing a Monitoring & Evaluation framework for the International Development Strategy and working to deliver its disability inclusion and rights strategy 2022–2030.
20
Recommendation
Fifth Report - Extreme poverty and the …
Acknowledged
Throughout this inquiry, we heard how budget reductions had affected programmes tackling poverty. The Government has stated that it knows what works in addressing extreme poverty, but it has not consistently demonstrated that insight in its funding decisions. We recommend: Ȥ The FCDO must ensure that its focus on trade …
Government response. The government reiterated its commitment to spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA when the fiscal situation allows and highlighted the International Development Strategy's focus on trade, humanitarian aid, girls' education, and health as part of poverty reduction efforts. They stated …