Press releases

Read Christian Aid's latest press releases.

Holding aid agencies to account improves value for money

18 June 2013 - Opportunities for local people to hold NGOs to account for their actions have improved in recent years, but there has been little evidence to suggest that they can actually influence the quality and results of aid itself - until now.

Improving Impact

Clamp down on UK-linked tax havens key to success of G8

14 June 2013 - UK-linked tax havens are at the centre of a global financial system that encourages crime, corruption and aggressive tax avoidance in developing countries, reveals a new report by Christian Aid as part of the Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign.

UK-linked tax havens

MPs rejection of decarbonisation target 'deeply disappointing'

4 June 2013 - Today’s vote by MPs against setting a decarbonisation target in the Energy Bill is ‘deeply disappointing and a missed opportunity’ said Christian Aid.

High Level Panel: a good start, but increasing inequality can’t be ignored

30 May 2013 - Helen Dennis, Christian Aid’s Senior Adviser on Poverty and Inequality, responds to news of today’s High Level Panel report on the global plan that should follow the Millennium Development Goals when they expire in 2015.

UK-linked tax havens must now join countries refusing to hide dirty money

29 May 2013 - Tax evaders will have fewer places to hide their money after nine countries, including tax havens Singapore and Luxembourg, today signed a treaty agreeing to share information about financial account holders.

Northern security vacuum deepens plight of Malians at onset of hunger season

28 May 2013 - Mali faces a heightened risk of severe food shortages at the onset of the annual ‘hunger season’, with on-going conflict and its aftermath exacerbating the situation.

28 May 2013 - Former RE teacher Colin Brannen is cycling from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne to London – and back – to join thousands of fellow supporters of the Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign in Hyde Park on Saturday June 8.

Big IF London rally

DECC carbon target a step in the right direction, but answers needed

26 May 2013 - Christian Aid welcomes news that the Government is to pursue an ambitious EU carbon capping target, but says a refusal to commit further to renewable energy raises doubts as to how the target can be achieved.

EU on verge of ‘historic breakthrough’ for tax justice

24 May 2013 - An EU decision, reported late yesterday, that European multinationals will be required to report the profits made and taxes paid in every country where they operate, would, if enshrined in law, be an ‘historic breakthrough’ in battling tax evasion, Christian Aid said today.

Thousands forego food to urge G8 to take action on global hunger

22 May 2013 - Thousands of people around the UK – including at least three bishops – are getting ready to go without food to show world leaders their commitment to ending global hunger.

Big IF fast

Christian Aid’s web-doc ‘Big River Rising’ nominated for a Green Award at the Sheffield Doc Festival

21 May 2013 - The internationally acclaimed Sheffield Doc Festival has nominated Big River Rising, an interactive documentary produced by international development agency Christian Aid, for a Green Award, its category to honour documentaries addressing major environmental challenges.

Green Award

Christian Aid releases £100,000 to help communities affected by Cyclone Mahasen

17 May 2013 - Christian Aid is releasing £100,000 emergency funds to partner organisations in Bangladesh to help them distribute food and provide emergency assistance to vulnerable communities hit by Cyclone Mahasen. Nearly 1.3 million people have been affected, 128,000 homes destroyed and 14 people are dead after heavy rain and cyclone-strength rains hit low-lying coastal regions of Bangladesh on Thursday evening.

Cyclone Mahasen

How tax dodging feeds world hunger

14 May 2013 - The scandal of world hunger could soon be ended if the revenues that developing countries lose through tax dodging were available to them to invest in agricultural development, says a new report from Christian Aid.

Tax injustice

Vicar with vertigo set to sky dive for Christian Aid

9 May 2013 - People across the UK will be raising funds for Christian Aid Week (May 12-18) in all kinds of ways – but none will go to the same heights as the Revd Mike Haslam.

Failure to legislate on aid a ‘broken promise’

8 May 2013 - Christian Aid’s senior UK political adviser Sol Oyuela said today: ‘Failing to enshrine in law the principle that 0.7 per cent of GNI should go on overseas aid is a broken promise.

Fight tax abuse, don’t raid the aid budget, urges Christian Aid

6 May 2013 - The UK Government should concentrate on helping stop the damage caused by tax abuse in developing countries rather than raiding the aid budget, Christian Aid said today.

Christian Aid calls for ‘equity review’ to drive global climate deal

3 May 2013 - Christian Aid is calling for countries negotiating a new global climate change agreement to ensure that fairness towards poor countries with the least responsibility for carbon emissions is central to future negotiations. It wants an ‘equity review’ to determine the emission capping actions each country should take.

Tipping Point - Bengal by Gerry Judah

2 May 2013 - Artist Gerry Judah has been commissioned by international development agency Christian Aid to produce a series of works for Tipping Point, a new exhibition about climate change in association with Wolverhampton Art Gallery, which runs from 11 May – 6 July 2013.

Tipping Point art exhibition

Rowan Williams begins new social justice role as Chair of Christian Aid

25 April 2013 - Dr Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, becomes Chair of Christian Aid’s Board of Trustees on May 1 with a plea to Christians to become agents of social justice.

Growing UK carbon footprint highlights need for global deal

24 April 2013 - The UK’s rise in CO2 emissions despite its efforts to be a world leader in tackling climate change highlights the need for an ambitious international deal to curb greenhouse gases, said Christian Aid today.

UK government called on to help address sexual violence in Colombia

23 April 2013 - UK agencies warn that despite some advances made by the current Colombian government, significant human rights concerns persist. They are calling on the UK government to raise the issue of conflict-related sexual violence at a United Nations review in Geneva today of human rights in Colombia.

Sexual violence

Stop dodging difficult questions on climate, warns Christian Aid

15 April 2013 - World leaders should stop dodging difficult questions on climate change because doing so will only exacerbate the crisis, Christian Aid warns today at the opening of a conference linking climate, hunger and nutrition in Dublin, Ireland.

EU anti-corruption law welcome but UK must answer ‘difficult’ tax questions

10 April 2013 - Christian Aid gives two cheers today for European moves to tackle corruption by forcing some large companies to come clean about their payments to governments around the world. However, the charity says the UK Government’s failure to push for stronger EU rules means the upcoming G8 will be an acid test of the commitment to tax transparency.

Christian Aid backs faith leaders’ call for action on global poverty

5 April 2013 - Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and religious leaders from across the G8 countries have called on Heads of Government to follow the UK in fulfilling existing commitments to spend 0.7% of national income on aid, in a letter to the Financial Times.

Reforming Pakistani tax system vital – but aid increase to poor should not be at risk

4 April 2013 - MPs are right to say that the UK should strongly encourage Pakistan to raise its disastrously low rate of tax collection – but Christian Aid is concerned by the suggestion that any increase in UK aid be conditional on the country improving its tax system. Rather, UK aid should be used to help with such reform.

Christian Aid Week bites back at hunger

2 April 2013 - Christian Aid Week (12-18 May 2013 www.caweek.org), Britain’s longest running door-to-door fundraising week, will this year be urging the British public to ‘bite back at hunger’ and ask why, in a world where there is enough food for everyone, 1 in 8 people go to bed hungry every night?

Christian Aid Week

Syria's “double refugees” face overcrowding and hardship in Lebanon

2 April 2013 - DEC reaches needs of Palestinian refugees, who risk missing out on vital help. Palestinians who have fled the violence in Syria are facing overcrowding, poor shelter and hardship in Lebanon, aid agencies from the UK's Disasters Emergency Committee said today.

It’s time to make multinationals pay their fair share of tax, campaigners urge

27 March 2013 - The international system for taxing multinationals is broken and out of date, with many loopholes which allow unscrupulous companies to avoid paying their fair share - as the recent Google, Amazon and Starbucks scandals have shown. So say 58 campaigning organisations today, in a response to the OECD’s February report Addressing Base Erosion and Profit Shifting.

David Cameron urged to put tax at heart of new plan to tackle global poverty

25 March 2013 - David Cameron and other leaders working on a global anti-poverty plan should ensure it helps poor countries collect the tax billions they are owed, Christian Aid urges today, on the eve of new talks on the plan in Bali, Indonesia.

The PM can’t afford to ignore environmental risks in setting the post-2015 development framework

22 March 2013 - Next week, the High-level Panel on the post-2015 development agenda meets for the fourth time. Disappointed that David Cameron, one of the co-chairs, will not be attending this meeting, a coalition of the UK’s leading environment and development groups – Christian Aid, Greenpeace, RSPB, WWF and Green Alliance – has warned that the post-2015 framework won’t be fit for purpose if the environmental challenges faced by developing nations are ignored.

Budget: Historic achievement on aid but missed opportunity on tax dodging

20 March 2013 - Responding to the Chancellor’s Budget today, Christian Aid Director Loretta Minghella said: ‘Today, a 40 year-old promise to the world’s poorest was finally delivered. We congratulate the Government for ensuring that - even in challenging economic times – this country has done the right thing by the hundreds of millions of women and men around the world living in poverty.

DEC announces Syria Crisis Appeal

20 March 2013 - The Disasters Emergency Committee has today announced that it will launch an appeal tomorrow for people affected by the conflict in Syria. The announcement follows a dramatic deterioration in the humanitarian situation since the beginning of the year.

Syria Crisis Appeal

Christian Aid internship open for applications

15 March 2013 - Christian Aid is looking for people who are passionate about global justice to apply for its 2013/14 internship programme online by 2 April 2013 at www.christianaidcollective.org/how-apply.

84-year-old twins set for 8000 foot sky dive to raise money for Christian Aid

March 7 2013 - A set of 84-year-old twins are teaming up for a charity skydive to raise money for Christian Aid. Pensioners Frank and Ralph Land will be jumping out of a plane at 8000 feet on April 1st - April Fool’s Day - to raise money for some of the world’s poorest people.

Christian Aid applauds Justine Greening's speech on girls and women

4 March 2013 - 'Christian Aid warmly welcomes Justine Greening's focus to help women and girls have greater choice, voice and control in their lives. This Friday the world marks International Women's Day and today activists, academics, officials and ministers gather in New York for the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).'

International Women's Day

Christian Aid welcomes Government's steps on aid to Rwanda

March 1 2013 - In response to Justine Greening’s decision today to re-programme £16m aid to Rwanda, Christian Aid welcomes the fact the UK aid will once again be reaching the poorest and most vulnerable in Rwanda. It is also pleased that DFID has recognised that Rwanda has breached the principles that guide the UK-Rwanda long-term partnership.

One in three are voting with their wallet following tax revelations

March 1 2013 - Millions of Britons are using consumer power to boycott companies seen to be avoiding their fair share of UK tax, new research reveals.

UK must not block major bank reform

Thursday 28 February - European Parliament moves to force banks to reveal more about their finances are a huge step towards getting companies to pay their taxes – although the new rules should be extended to other industries, Christian Aid says today.

Leading Congolese and international NGOs welcome Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework but call for further action

February 24 2013 - A group of prominent Congolese and international NGOs today called on countries in the Great Lakes region, along with their international partners, to ensure that the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework Agreement signed in Addis Ababa is given the political backing necessary to bring an end to war in the eastern Congo.

Help combat tax avoidance across the world, Christian Aid urges UK Government

February 19 2013 - Commenting before the publication of the Public Accounts Committee’s new report on tax avoidance in the UK, Alex Prats, Christian Aid’s Principal Adviser on Economic Justice, said: ‘Tax avoidance is a major problem across the world and it’s especially devastating for developing countries, which lose billions every year as a result of tax avoidance by multinationals.

Christian Aid urges UK government to continue backing UN peace and security deal for DRC

February 18 2013 - Christian Aid is urging the UK Government to further support the signing and implementation of the United Nations recently proposed DRC and Great Lakes peace and security deal, which was inexplicably stalled at an African Union Summit meeting in Addis on January 28th.

New statement to the G8 from Christian Aid's economic policy advisor

February 16 2013 - Joseph Stead, Christian Aid senior economic policy adviser said today: ‘The G20 must address as an absolute priority the impact of tax dodging in the developing world'.

Christian Aid launches new 'Count Your Blessings' mobile app for Lent

February 11 2013 - With Lent beginning on Wednesday February 13, Christian Aid has launched a brand new mobile app to help people pause and think about their lives and those of others around the world.

Humanitarian groups: International community is 'failing the people of Syria'

January 29 2013 - On the eve of a key meeting of donor counties, a coalition of six international humanitarian agencies has warned that the UN’s record $1.5 billion Syria humanitarian appeal remains only 3% funded, and some of the world’s richest countries have failed to provide sufficient support.

Christian Aid condems shooting of Brazilian landless rights leader

January 28 2013 - Christian Aid has condemned the fatal shooting of Brazilian landless rights leader Cicero Guedes on Saturday. Mr Guedes, 54, a sugar cane cutter, was the leader of the landless people’s movement (MST) and was killed while returning home from a meeting on his bicycle.

Monsoon and Christian Aid help revive the silk industry in Afghanistan

January 28 2013 - An exciting new partnership between high street retailer Monsoon and development agency Christian Aid, which will help revive the two thousand-year-old tradition of silk production in Afghanistan, was announced today. The two-year project aims to lift 1,500 women and their families out of extreme poverty and potentially lead to international market access for silk producers in the country.

Escalating violence in northern Mali is fuelling hunger in the Sahel

January 25 2013 - The recent escalation of fighting and the subsequent displacement of people within Mali and to neighbouring countries is exacerbating the Sahel’s chronic food crisis and contributing to ever-rising levels of malnutrition, warns Yacouba Kone, Christian Aid’s Mali country director.

Christian Aid Collective invites young people to share a meal and discuss issues of faith and injustice

January 18 2013 - The Christian Aid Collective is to host a series of meals around the country, where young Christians can share food and discuss what they can do together to end global poverty.

Christian Aid and Institute of Fundraising develop one hundred new fundraisers

January 7 2013 - In a drive to inspire generous giving and ensure a positive future, Christian Aid has invested in some specially tailored training for over one hundred of its regional and headquarters staff. Working with the Institute of Fundraising (IoF), the charity developed a three day classroom-based course which, taken with a short online IoF course, leads to staff being awarded the IoF’s Introduction to Fundraising Certificate.