Sunday 23 March 2014

USA Redirects Millions in Aid


The USA has joined the World Bank and a host of other countries in redirecting aid away from Ugandan gay-bashers:


Money will be shifted away from the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, a group that has publicly come out in support of the anti-gay law and has received millions of dollars in grants from the United States to help fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Some $2.3 million will continue to go to the IRCU to continue treatment for some 50,000 current patients, but an additional $6.4 million intended for the IRCU will go to other organizations... 
because any LGBT person or LGBT ally who now enters Uganda is at risk, money intended for tourism programs will be redirected. 
“Therefore, approximately $3 million in funding designated for tourism and biodiversity promotion will be redirected to NGOs working on biodiversity protection,” Lalley said. 
And finally, the Department of Defense had several events scheduled in the country later this spring and those will be moved to other locations. “Certain near-term invitational travel” for Ugandan military and police personnel has also been suspended or canceled.

It is heartening to see such decisive action being taken, and hopefully this experience will lead to more responsible aid giving by economically developed countries in the future. Accountability needs to go hand in hand with grant-giving.

As for those who point out the level of homophobia in certain areas of America: it's not about the world we have, it's about the world we want to have. This is a positive step towards that.

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