APPENDIX 44
Memorandum from the Department for International
Development
1. BACKGROUND
1.1 The promotion of, support for, and capacity
building within education for sustainable development is integral
to DFID's strategy to "build informed support for development
within the UK".
1.2 The first White Paper on International
Development, published in November 1997, provided a new framework
for Building Support for Development in the UK. It acknowledges
that International Development cannot succeed, and the internationally
agreed Millennium Development Goals cannot be achieved, without
the support of the international community. And it sets out clear
aims for increased public awareness and understanding of development
issues across a broad range of constituencies in the UK.
1.3 More specifically, the White Paper calls
for increased public understanding of our global mutual dependence
and the need for international development. It also calls for
every child to be educated about development issues, so that they
can understand the key global considerations that will shape their
lives.
1.4 DFID believes that if we are to achieve
the breakthrough in public perceptions towards development issues
that, say, environmental education has made in recent years, the
key lies in going beyond attitudes to development based on compassion
and charity, and establishing a real understanding of our interdependence
and the relevance of development issues to people's everyday lives.
We need to strengthen public confidence in, and support for, the
fight against global poverty, acceptance that it matters to our
future, that great progress is possible, and that the behaviour
of each of us can make a difference.
2. "BUILDING
SUPPORT FOR
DEVELOPMENT"
2.1 Building Support for Development Strategy
Paper
2.1.1 Published in April 1999, DFID's "Building
Support for Development" Strategy paper was drawn up with
the help of an advisory group drawn from the education sector,
businesses, trade unions, the media, voluntary organisations and
others, and set forward how DFID planned to take forward the programme
for raising awareness of and support for development issues outlined
in the White Paper. The paper reaffirms the importance of attaining
an informed public opinion to help ensure that the UK plays its
full role in generating the international political will necessary
to meet the international poverty eradication targets.
2.1.2 The paper also outlines DFID's belief
that it is not right simply to target groups of potential supporters.
Indeed the challenge is to break out of the groups traditionally
regarded as sympathetic to development and to reach new audiences.
So while we work with different groups in different ways, our
aim is to develop an overall approach that will reach people right
across society.
2.1.3 We also seek to encourage and mobilise
other organisations and groups and support and promote this work.
In 1998, DFID's Information Department established our Development
Awareness Fund, to support the development education work of these
organisations and to commission work which will promote:
— Knowledge and understanding of the
major challenges of development, in particular the poverty reduction
agenda; but also the characteristics, culture and diversity of
developing countries.
— Understanding of our global interdependence,
and in particular that failure to reduce global poverty levels
will have serious consequences for us all.
— Understanding of and support for
international efforts to reduce poverty and promote development
including the Millennium Development Goals, recognition of progress
made, and that further progress is both affordable and achievable.
— Understanding the role individuals
can play; providing the basis for personal choices about individuals'
attitudes and behaviour.
On average, the DAF spends between £1.5
and £2 million funding 20-25 new projects each year.
2.1.4 Our development awareness work is
primarily concentrated around four main target groups: formal
education, the media, business and trade unions, and churches
and faiths. However, we also look for opportunities to spread
our work more widely.
2.2 Formal Education
2.2.1 Our top priority is to work through
the formal education system. The White Paper calls for every child
to be educated about development issues, so that they can understand
the key global considerations which will shape their lives. While
children learn through many different channels, formal education
remains central and we constantly seek opportunities to promote
more effective and widespread teaching of development issues,
as well as the incorporation of development perspectives
into the wider life of schools and other educational institutions.
Our work is largely concentrated on the 5-18 age group, and focused
on 4 key objectives:
Objective 1. To ensure that global issues are
adequately incorporated in curriculum provision and guidance across
the UK
(a) While successful development education
work in schools depends on much more than curriculum provision,
this is the crucial foundation. As a result of representation
and lobbying by DFID and others, we have succeeded in ensuring
that current curriculum provisions provide opportunities for bringing
development issues into all subjects. However, there is scope
for more integrated and explicit provision.
(b) By maintaining close involvement in
curriculum review work across the UK, we have significantly enhanced
the prospects for teaching development issues. However, more work
is still needed to embed a global dimension across the curriculum
to illustrate how global issues are relevant and integral to every
aspect of study and life.
(c) We have built on the learning outcomes
proposed by Working Groups in England on Citizenship and Education
and worked with the Qualification and Curriculum organisations
in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to assist in
the process of providing clear supporting guidance to schools
on ways of bringing development issues into their work.
Objective 2. To ensure provision of good quality
materials and resources to facilitate teaching in schools
(a) While curriculum and other formal provision
is the foundation, we work to ensure that good quality resources
are available to teachers, that guidance and support is provided
and that good practice is identified and shared.
(b) By undertaking an audit in 1999 of the
availability of development education resources and support to
schools, we were able to identify strengths and weaknesses, in
particular in relation to new curriculum provisions. Where needed,
we commissioned and supported the production and dissemination
of new materials.
(c) The launch of DFID's "Enabling
Effective Support" strategy in 2001 also stemmed from this
review. The initiative aims to support the development of individual
strategies across the UK that will ensure that teachers and others
involved in the education of young people have local access to
the resources and support networks they need to bring the global
dimension into their teaching. Ultimately, each region will have
an overall framework for delivering and supporting the global
dimension within the curriculum and the wider life of schools
that will be owned and delivered by the formal education system.
(d) In taking the EES agenda forward, we
have worked in partnership with the development education community
as well as with schools and teachers directly.
Objective 3. To reinforce school-based work through
the teacher training, inspection and awarding bodies
(a) We have worked with a number of teacher
education establishments to embed the global dimension into Initial
Teacher Education and their Continuous Professional Development
and to ensure that suitable course material is available.
(b) We have discussed with the Inspection
Bodies the scope to expand the inspection of development education
in schools.
(c) We have undertaken a similar dialogue
with the Awarding Bodies and sought to ensure that all these organisations
receive the necessary support to ensure that their work takes
appropriate account of development issues.
Objective 4. To encourage whole school or community
based activities with a development focus
(a) DFID believes that every school should
have the opportunity to develop a link with a school in a developing
country.
(b) We have increased our support for good
quality and well-focused school linking activities. The British
Council currently manages and administers DFID's North-South school
linking programme. We have invested £3.5 million in this
three year project. We also support other North-South school linking
initiatives through the Development Awareness Fund. Lancashire
Development Education Centre is receiving DAF funding for supporting
schools in Lancashire to set up, develop and maintain links built
around the curriculum with schools in the South.
(c) We promote links that are based on the
principles of equality, mutual learning and curriculum development.
2.3 The Media
2.3.1 The media has a huge influence on
our knowledge and attitudes, and is therefore important to our
objectives. The media has been regarded by many in the development
education field as negative and difficult to influence, with its
focus on dramatic coverage of disasters and conflict rather than
on the success of long term development or the reality of global
interdependence. Some of this criticism is fair, but it is important
to recognise the diversity of the media, as well as the role and
interest of a number of aid agencies in helping promote such coverage.
Our work with the media is focused around 2 specific objectives:
Objective 1. To concentrate our own work with
the media around key issues and themes
(a) We have promoted coverage through our
own Press Office work that raises awareness and understanding
of development issues, rather than simply seeking to promote DFID
or one-off projects. Through the summer and autumn of 2001, DFID's
Press Office worked to raise awareness of trade and development
issues in the media using DFID's "Trade Matters" booklet,
background briefings and articles by the Secretary of State to
promote the issue.
Objective 2. To research and strengthen television
coverage of development issues
(a) During 2000 we undertook a wide-ranging
research project, "Viewing the World", with major
television companies designed to review attitudes to development
issues within the industry, to analyse current coverage and development,
and to test audience attitudes. We intend to carry out similar
work with other sectors of the media.
(b) During 2002, we undertook a programme
of research with the BBC. The project, "Making Sense of the
World", had dual objectives. Firstly, to understand and probe
public perceptions of, and attitudes towards, television coverage
of the developing world. Secondly, using this information, to
explore more effective ways of treating development issues in
television coverage, with the additional objective of creating
a training resource to be used by reporters across the industry.
As a result of this research, the BBC has incorporated the results
into its training programmes for both new and experienced journalists.
The report is freely available on DFID's website.
(c) We have also launched a Travel Bursary
and Documentary Research Fund to assist television journalists
and programme-makers in creating programmes on developing country
issues. The aim is to expand understanding of development issues
and of developing countries, and to encourage British television
producers to contribute to improving the quality and quantity
of output about the developing world on British television.
2.4 Business and the Trade Unions
2.4.1 As the impact of globalisation grows,
more of us come to understand our interdependence.
2.4.2 Some businesses have taken on key
roles in influencing public attitudes, not least in relation to
issues of social responsibility in the workplace and the community.
DFID sees business as both a key target and a potential key partner
in building greater awareness and understanding of development
issues.
2.4.3 Trade Unions too are key players in
providing information, advice and education to members and in
shaping relations between their members and employers.
2.4.4 DFID works with business and the trade
unions to promote sustainable economic growth and wider respect
for core labour standards.
2.4.5 Our work with business and trade unions
is built around two main objectives:
Objective 1. To raise awareness of development
issues within the business community and among trade unions
(a) We have examined with both sectors
the ways in which we can work together to promote development
awareness more effectively.
(b) We have recently established a Strategic
Grant Agreement with the Trades Union Congress which will increase
their understanding of international development issues and enable
them to build their capacity, and that of their affiliates, to
influence trade unions and other organisations globally. This
will lead to a better informed UK trade union movement, able to
make a more strategic contribution to international development.
(c) Through the Development Awareness
Fund we have supported work on ethical trading. Grants have been
awarded to the Fairtrade Foundation annually since the launch
of the fund in 1998.
Objective 2. To seek ways to work with business
and trade unions to raise public awareness of global and development
issues
(a) Businesses support awareness raising
through a variety of channels, including information sharing with
customers, marketing, partnerships and sponsorship. Trade unions
are also active in education, training and wider policy debates.
(b) We have undertaken a review of work
in this area, and of the scope for DFID to promote and support
new activities.
2.5 Churches and Faiths
2.5.1 The Christian Churches and all the
other Faiths have a strong tradition of concern with development
issues. Their role in the Jubilee 2000 campaign on debt is an
example of their potential reach and influence.
2.5.2 Speaking to the General Synod of the
Church of England in November 1998, Clare Short, Secretary of
State for International Development, invited the churches to build
on their Jubilee 2000 role by joining a world-wide campaign to
eliminate poverty. A number of groups responded positively to
this. We continue to take forward our work with them and have
extended it to other faiths.
2.5.3 Our work with Churches and Faith
Groups is built around one main objective:
Objective 1. To build and support a worldwide
alliance with the Christian church and other Faiths to eliminate
poverty
(a) We have worked with interested faith
groups to develop and implement this work. Since 1999, we have
produced Target 2015 booklets which underline the commitment of
international governments to the Millennium Development Goals,
in partnership with Jewish, Muslim and Sikh, Catholic and other
Christian faith groups in the UK, and are currently working on
a Hindu version to complete the series.
(b) We are working on joint activities with
Christian churches to build awareness and support for development
issues both in the UK and internationally. Through the Development
Awareness Fund, we have funded eight such projects led by Christian
organisations over the last four years.
(c) We have also developed our dialogue
with other Faiths. Through the Development Awareness Fund we are
currently funding a Teachers' Research project led by a Muslim
organisation that aims to engage teachers to explore ways of integrating
Islamic perspectives into development education.
2.6 Working in Other Areas
2.6.1 While much of our work is concentrated
on the areas set out above, we also seek opportunities to work
with other groups to achieve our objectives.
2.6.2 We have found important opportunities
to share the challenge of increasing development awareness in
other sectors. Through the Development Awareness Fund we are currently
funding a Global Youth Work project in Wales that targets young
people and youth work delivery and a programme designed to secure
the recognition of development awareness and the application of
global perspectives to adult lifelong learning courses and plans.
2.6.3 We endeavour to ensure that our work
is inclusive and that ethnic minority groups are fully involved.
3. MEASURING
OUR PROGRESS:
PUBLIC OPINION
POLLS
3.1 Annual Monitoring of Public Attitudes
Towards Development
3.1.1 DFID carries out two surveys of public
attitudes towards international development each year. One survey,
carried out by MORI, targets school children. The other, undertaken
by the ONS, monitors the UK adult population.
3.1.2 Since the first surveys were undertaken
in 1999, the opinion polls have underlined the increasing depth
of concern about poverty, support for an increased development
budget, and recognition of global interdependence. However, understanding
of the underlying issues and key players, specifically governments,
in poverty reduction remains limited. The polls also show that
people still struggle to find ways to engage with international
development beyond the charity/fair trade route, although there
is encouraging support for tax paying as an alternative means
of support.
3.1.3 Annual meeting are held with the Secretary
of State to discuss changes in our development awareness strategy
following the receipt of the results of each public opinion poll.
3.1.4 This summer, DFID will undertake a
full review of the development awareness work we have undertaken
and reassess our targets. The success of our influencing agenda
so far means that while we will continue to work with our current
target groups, we will also move on to target new audiences such
as the print media.
February 2003
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