With less than seven months until the U.S. general election in November, foreign aid issues are unusually prominent in the national political conversation.
The wars in Ukraine and Gaza have brought issues of humanitarian law and access to the fore — with this month’s killing of seven World Central Kitchen employees by the Israeli Defense Forces sparking global pressure to protect aid workers and civilians.
While it can be risky for humanitarian and development advocates to wade into murky political waters, the heightened attention also creates an “opportunity to educate the American public about what foreign aid is and what it isn’t,” said Tom Hart, president and CEO of international NGO InterAction, in a Devex Pro Live event last week.