# Government is right to fund charity campaigning, ActionAid says

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/04/08/government-right-fund-charity-campaigning-actionaid-says/
- Published: 2009-04-08T22:54:39+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

_news hook: Liam Byrne MP announces £750,000 [grants for charity](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/11/15/google-grants-for-charities/)
campaigns_

ActionAid’s head of policy and campaigns, Belinda Calaguas, today defended the right
of charities to campaign, and welcomed the Government’s £750,000 plan to support‘
innovative political campaigning’ by smaller charities.

She said: “Saying that charities should not campaign is like saying that fire brigades
should stick to fighting fires and stop doing fire prevention work.

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“Like most anti-poverty charities, ActionAid decided years ago that to fight poverty,
we had to fight the causes of poverty. So we campaign for things like sustainable
food production, which can help to end hunger. We campaign for tax transparency,
which helps to prevent multinational companies spiriting money away out of poor 
countries. We campaign against things which perpetuate poverty, like the oppression
of women.”

Ms Calaguas rebutted the charge that charities are getting ‘too political’.

“We don’t think ‘political’ is a dirty word. When we run a campaign we ask our supporters
to lobby their MPs, join non-violent events like last month’s Put People First rally,
and generally be active citizens. We particularly want young supporters, who may
be disillusioned with politics, to realise that there are things they can do which
will make a difference.

“Charity law allows us to campaign on our issue – poverty. And when you look at 
the causes of poverty in the world, you have to get involved in health, education,
hunger and food production, and women’s rights. But ActionAid has no interest in
campaigning on issues unrelated to poverty. We do not support any political party.”

Though ActionAid is unlikely to benefit from the newly announced grants, it supports
their aim. “These grants are to help vulnerable groups to get their voices heard.
That is something ActionAid believes in. It is at the heart of our work in more 
than 40 countries,” Ms Calaguas said.

–ENDS–

For interviews with Belinda Calaguas or for further information, contact Tony Durham
on 020 7561 7636 or 07872 378251.

**Note to editors**

Belinda Calaguas has many years experience of campaigning in UK and international
charities. Before joining ActionAid she worked for WaterAid; for three years before
that, she was coordinator of the Migrant and Refugee Communities Forum in the Royal
Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

ActionAid works to end global poverty and injustice

www.actionaid.org

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