The Bunker – News without the nonsense How the US aid freeze harms the entire world
8 snips
Feb 19, 2025 Michael Sheldrick, co-founder of Global Citizen and advocate against world poverty, discusses the significant implications of the U.S. aid freeze on global humanitarian efforts. He emphasizes how U.S. financial assistance accounted for over 40% of global aid, and the potential for increased propaganda in areas like Ukraine due to funding cuts. The conversation also touches on the need for a collaborative foreign aid approach, suggesting innovative solutions like blockchain technology to enhance support for developing nations.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Impact of US Aid
- The US aid budget, though less than 1% of its total spending, accounts for over 40% of global humanitarian aid.
- This aid has significant impacts on communities worldwide and benefits both recipients and the US.
PEPFAR's Impact
- PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, supports over 20 million people, including 550,000 children annually.
- For each day PEPFAR's work is disrupted, 230 babies are born with HIV unnecessarily.
She Decides Movement
- The 2017 Mexico City Policy (Global Gag Rule) restricted funding for reproductive health organizations.
- A movement called She Decides, comprised of philanthropists, foundations, and countries, emerged to fill the funding gap.