Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA was established in 1984. Self reliance, not charity Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA’s international program has developed from a rights based approach. The organization's work aims to build self-reliance through support to educational and training projects for workers and their organisations.

Over 40 training projects, working through 30 separate project partners in 15 countries, assist many different communities in Southeast Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, Southern Africa and the Caribbean. Support for these projects comes from many individual union members throughout Australia, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), unions and workplaces, as well as from the Australian government aid agency, DFAT.