'A global system for people and the planet' Bond Manifesto 2024

Bond is the UK network for organisations working in international development. Bond unites and supports a diverse network of over 350 civil society organisations from across the UK (including CAFOD), and allies to help eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice.

On Wednesday 20 March, Bond launched its 2024 sector manifesto, 'A Global System for People and Planet', at the Houses of Parliament, saying: "As all political parties look to the general election, we see this as a key influencing opportunity for the international development sector to shape the next government's policies on international development, including in relation to humanitarian assistance, development cooperation priorities and the UK's role in global policies on climate, trade, tax, civic space and multilateral finance reform.

Through a series of workshops, various Bond working group meetings and other consultations, Bond reached out across its membership of more than 380 organisations to identify the key issues that the sector wants the next government to champion in pursuit of creating a fairer and more sustainable world.

At the heart of the manifesto is the central maxim that the UK's role in promoting sustainable development goes well beyond its aid programs to encompass policies on trade, investment, business, migration, security and energy. Across the sector there is a consensus that cross-government policy coherence for sustainable development is the most powerful channel for transformational change."

At its launch Romilly Greenhill, CEO of Bond, said: "The next UK government has an opportunity to work with partners in reshaping global development towards a more equitable and sustainable future. By championing initiatives and partnerships led by local communities and organisations and advocating for a fairer financial system to tackle global economic inequality, the UK can help address the many challenges facing our world."

"This manifesto, developed by the UK's development and humanitarian sector, sets out a roadmap which maps out a progressive global role for the UK and one that ensures that the global economic system can work for people and planet."

During the consultation process, common themes arose, and Bond used these to structure the manifesto around seven chapters.

1. Act as a responsible and ambitious development partner
2. Create an equitable and sustainable international financial system that works for people, nature, climate and the planet
3. Recommit to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) and leaving no one behind
4. Do our fair share to tackle the global climate and biodiversity crises
5. Develop a new approach to UK trade and private sector investment
6. Promoting stability, security and effective crisis responses
7. Protect and promote rights, freedoms and civic space

Bond member, CAFOD says: "Catholic social teaching (CST) is rooted in Scripture, formed by the wisdom of Church leaders, and influenced by grassroots movements. It is our moral compass, guiding us on how to live out our faith in the world."

Looking at the CAFOD website they highlight seven Catholic Social teaching principles which inspires their work. Comparing these seven principles (Dignity, Solidarity, The Common good, The option for the poor, Peace, Creation and environment, The dignity of work and participation) it seems to me that these seven principles bear a direct relationship to the seven manifesto asks. I suggest:

1 Solidarity
2 The Common Good
3 The option for the poor
4 Creation and Environment
5 The Dignity of work and participation
6 Peace
7 Dignity

CAFOD says: "Our Catholic faith calls us to love God and to love our neighbours in every situation, especially our sisters and brothers living in poverty. Following in the footsteps of Christ, we hope to make present in our unjust and broken world, the justice, love and peace of God."

Bond's International Development manifesto 2024 is a clear, practical resource to put all these principles into action to 'speak truth to power'. The manifesto sets out the practical steps the next UK government can take to address these global system failures, help secure the SDGs, and evolve its global role from 'donor' to partner acting in solidarity.

It deserves to be widely shared and acted upon.

Bond manifesto 2024 - 'A global system for people and the planet'
www.bond.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bond_election-24_manifesto_screen.pdf

Principles of Catholic Social teaching (CAFOD)
https://cafod.org.uk/pray/catholic-social-teaching

Notes:

A fuller explanation of the key manifesto highlights and asks:

* There needs to be a fundamental shift in the global development system: the global system is not working for people or the planet.

*The UK as a responsible and ambitious development partner: through championing locally-led development and humanitarian assistance, challenging power imbalances and addressing racism in the sector, all development programmes should be led by the countries and communities that are being supported and empower citizens to lead their own sustainable development. The UK has a chance to meaningfully engage diaspora communities on this agenda as well.

*An equitable, fair and just international finance system that works for all: The UK should pursue ambitious reform of the International Finance Institutes so that they fairly represent the needs of all countries and promote inclusive and sustainable growth. The UK's global role in promoting sustainable development stretches well beyond Overseas Development Aid (ODA) to focus on its policies on advocating for financial reform, eg global debt reform, as well as reform of the UK's policies on trade, finance, migration, security and energy.

* Debt relief: Utilise the UK's significant responsibility for how private lenders operate by legislating to compel all creditors, including the private sector, to participate in debt relief processes.

*A new approach to global tax and trade: The UK should advocate for global tax reform and support the UN Tax Convention to make the global tax system more inclusive, democratic and fairer. The UK should also support the Africa Free Trade Area, a UK trade strategy, UK supply chain due diligence, and parliamentary scrutiny of trade deals.

*A recommitment to the Sustainable development goals (SDG's) and to leave no one behind: SDGs domestic and international, private sector engagement on the SDGs, policy coherence.

*A secure and stable world, with freedoms and rights respected: there is a need for improved civil society engagement.
Need policy coherence across government to meet global commitments (Paris Agreement and SDGs) and ensure government policies and spending promote sustainable development.

* Actively promote locally led and diaspora approaches to humanitarian assistance.

* A sustainable plan to tackle the climate and environment crisis: The UK government must engage with NGOs both here and in lower-income countries to ensure that they are acting on the latest intelligence, using both local and institutional knowledge in support of ending poverty, inequality, and tackling the climate and environment crisis.

*This should all be underpinned by an ODA budget that is 0.7% of GNI and an independent department for international development and humanitarian assistance.