Aid change needed to help poor

A NEW report into world development concludes we will fail to deliver broad improvements for the poorest on the planet unless radical changes are made to ensure funding actually gets to those who need it most.

Co-author of World Development Report 2004: Making Services Work for Poor People Stephen Commins said: “It doesn’t matter whether your are dealing with a first world health service or a third world service.

"Very often the problem is the same. The money intended for front line services ends up in administration or being swallowed up in other ways.

“Vested interest is [very often] the problem and also the failure of donor countries who give money to governments instead of channelling the money directly to those who need it most,” he said.

In the case of a school funding programme in Uganda investigations found that just 13% of the money was making its way directly to supporting education.

But a simple change, making the school accountable to parents for the way money was spent brought this figure up to 85%.

Mr Commins said the debate about aid “is no longer just about the amount of funding needed to achieve a better deal for those in need, but what are the mechanisms needed to ensure that goals are actually achieved.”