People deserve the change to decide how UK aid is spent in a changing world

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"This decision, together with cuts by the US, France, Germany, Sweden and others, is creating real hardship for the world's most marginalised communities: health centres are closing, family support systems are being scaled back, and girls' education programmes are rapidly reducing."

"I was at an event recently where one of the speakers, development leader and practitioner, Keith Kibirango, said that if the [aid] money comes back, it should come back on equal terms. This pivotal moment is an opportunity for us to reshape how development has been done for decades."

The Independent maintains independent journalism across critical issues including reproductive rights, climate change, and technology accountability without paywalls. Simultaneously, international development faces significant challenges as multiple governments, including the UK Labour government despite manifesto pledges, have cut aid budgets. These reductions are creating hardship for marginalized communities through health center closures, reduced family support systems, and diminished girls' education programs. Rather than retreating, international NGOs are using this moment to fundamentally reshape development practices, moving away from traditional top-down conditional approaches toward more equitable partnership models that respect recipient nations' autonomy and priorities.

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