Lib Dems Commit to Ending FGM and Maintaining UK Foreign Aid Contributions
Nick Clegg gave a speech about Britain's stance on international development. He spoke highly of Britain's generosity, but mentioned that people's ideas of how much the Government gives to foreign aid are distorted.
On average, the British public believe that around 20% of all the money the UK Government spends in a year goes on foreign aid. In reality, we spend 0.7% of our nation's income, which in itself is an achievement as we are now the first of the world's wealthiest countries to meet this long-held promise.
In his speech, Nick paid tribute to the work that Liberal Democrat minister Lynne Featherstone had done to increase the public's understanding of female genital mutilation (FGM), working to end it in the UK and other parts of the world. Thanks to Lynne's determination, the Liberal Democrats will commit to continuing the Department for International Development's (DFID) current FGM programme beyond the next parliament.
Nick spoke about the tough procedures that are put in place by the Government to ensure that the money goes to the right people and that it is being used effectively.
"We work with communities where people have virtually nothing and help them protect their children from diseases, their families from starvation and women and girls from violence and rape. We are working to end wars. We are helping millions of boys and girls to go to school so they can one day play their part in giving their nations a better future. We are helping to protect the planet from climate change - the greatest challenge of our time."
He added: "So, right now, teams of UK tax experts - set up by Danny Alexander - are working in countries like Afghanistan and Tanzania: using HM Revenue & Customs ( HMRC ) expertise to train Government officials to collect the taxes due from businesses and wealthy individuals within their borders.
"Three years ago, I launched our £355 million Girls Education Challenge, which is working to help a million girls in the toughest circumstances across the world by 2016, to improve their lives by getting into school. And Lynne Featherstone is looking at how we can do the same to help children with disabilities around the world who are excluded from school."
While Ed Davey at the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) is leading on work - through the International Climate Fund and other programmes - to help millions of people in developing countries prevent and adapt to the growing risks of climate change."
Nick spoke about the Liberal Democrat's commitment to spend 0.7% of our nation's wealth on aid and about the need of multilateralism for achievement:
"As part of the EU, the world's largest development assistance donor, the UK's voice is louder and influence stronger in countries where human rights violations and environmental abuse are taking place."