Caritas Australia is holding an inaugural Women for the World luncheon in support of empowering work with women around the world next Wednesday.
Social Worker, Psyche Mae Asencio from the Philippines, will speak at the event, highlighting her experience of gaining an education through Caritas Australia’s transformative programs.
Ms Asencio’s talk will aim to raise awareness and vital funds for those living in poverty around the world.
Caritas Perth Diocesan Co-ordinator, Sister Janet Palafox, said the need to support people like Ms Asencio was becoming more prominent than ever.
Sr Janet went on to reinforce the work of Caritas Australia and the importance of Australian aid overseas, following the announcement by the Federal Government to cut an additional $224 million from overseas aid funding in this year’s budget.
The Australian aid agency expressed deep disappointment in a statement released Tuesday, 3 May. The $224 million cut is the third successive cut by the government and has reduced Australia to its least generous role among OECD countries in 40 years.
Caritas Australia CEO, Paul O’Callaghan, said that Australia has had a prominent and bipartisan record of strong support for economic improvement and poverty alleviation, both in our immediate region and beyond.
“Together with Australia’s outstanding contribution through peace-keeping missions, this aid and development role over many decades led to Australia being regarded as a significant leader and middle power,” Mr O’Callaghan said.
“While Australia remains one of the wealthiest nations in the OECD group, this latest funding cut will confirm our major turn to insularity and not providing a reasonable share in the global response.
“Australia’s partners in the region and beyond comment with regret that Australia has given up its shared leadership role in combatting poverty.”
Mr O’Callaghan said that the 30 per cent cut in Australia’s official aid program since 2013 not only impacts on the livelihoods and wellbeing of millions of people, “but also sends a clear signal to the world of a major change in Australian international priorities for the long term”.
Caritas Australia is the international aid and development agency of the Catholic Church and part of one of the largest humanitarian networks in the world.
Click Here to purchase tickets for the event at $150 each.
For more information, contact Natalie Weir on 08 9422 7928 or email natalie.weir@caritas.org.au.
Students talk about the importance of Australian aid
Archbishop Mark Coleridge’s video message against the aid cuts