Today, Minister Klever of Foreign Trade & Development Aid informed parliament in a letter that she plans to cut more than 70% of funding for civil society organizations in the Netherlands and low- and middle-income countries. This will drastically impact the crucial work of these organizations, which includes improving healthcare, combating poverty, increasing access to quality education, and implementing essential climate measures. We urge the House of Representatives to oppose this decision.
Where around €1.4 billion was available over the past five years to support civil society actors in low- and middle-income countries, Klever aims to reduce this to €390-565 million for the period 2026-2030. A decrease of more than 70%.
This decision will affect countless people, including many children and people in vulnerable situations, in countries that the Netherlands collaborates with through this framework. Thanks to Dutch investments and cooperation with local and Dutch civil society organizations, their lives have seen improvements in recent years. For instance, through better access to healthcare, clean drinking water, and education, as well as increased economic independence and participation in democratic processes.
Global issues have local impacts, including in the Netherlands. That this is especially true for health, was painfully illustrated by the Covid-19 pandemic. It is therefore crucial that the Netherlands continues to invest in global health. In 2022, the cabinet launched a strategic vision for global health with the Dutch Global Health Strategy 2023-2030: Working Together for Global Health (English summary available for download here and full Dutch version here).
Key priorities of this strategy include:
1) Strengthening national health systems in low- and middle-income countries, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR),
2) Enhancing international pandemic preparedness, including access to medicines for all, and
3) Addressing climate change in relation to public health.
Despite the minister’s stated commitment to global health, none of the above topics appear in the letter sent today.
Although EU member states committed in June to spend 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) on development cooperation, the Netherlands has failed to meet this target for years. Due to billions in cuts to development cooperation, from 2027, the Netherlands will spend only about 0.43% of GNI on development cooperation. The current cabinet also plans to decouple GNI from the development cooperation budget, leading to further cuts.
The Netherlands’ carefully built reputation as a defender of human rights and reliable trade partner has greatly enhanced its international position. The sector’s expertise and international network are invaluable. Scaling back this investment is short-sighted and irresponsible. We therefore urge the House of Representatives to oppose these plans. A strong civil society remains essential for the future of democracy, human rights, and global stability.
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