| ID | 165212 |
| Title Proper | Can advocacy change the views of politicians about aid? the potential and limits of a presence-based approach |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Wells, Tamas |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Advocates of foreign aid in OECD countries navigate a unique form of politics. The beneficiaries of foreign aid spending have little voice in elite level decision-making about aid commitments from OECD countries. Thus foreign aid spending has a form of politics unlike other areas of policy where there is more direct budget accountability with citizens. Scholarly attention has increased on this unusual domestic politics of aid spending yet there remains little examination of the opportunities, challenges and tensions for aid organisations in advocating to elected officials. This article focuses on the case of Australian foreign aid, and the Australian Aid and Parliament project, an initiative of Save the Children. This initiative facilitates exposure visits to aid recipient countries for Australian parliamentarians. Most aid advocacy projects in OECD countries rely on mobilising citizens of those countries to act as a proxy, advocating on behalf of aid beneficiaries. This project reveals the potential of advocacy efforts that focus on the direct ‘presence’ of aid beneficiaries in the experience of elected officials (from donor countries). Yet it also reveals several challenges, and tensions between advocates, about how aid commitments change, and the most effective role for advocacy groups to play. |
| `In' analytical Note | Australian Journal of International Affairs Vol. 73, No.3; Jun 2019: p.254-269 |
| Journal Source | Australian Journal of International Affairs Vol: 73 No 3 |
| Key Words | Australia ; Foreign Aid ; Parliament ; Advocacy |