Friday, 15 May 2026
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Advocacy & JusticeUK

CBM UK warns aid cuts will devastate people with disabilities in Africa

CBM UK has expressed deep concern over the UK government's 56% reduction in aid funding to Africa, warning it will disproportionately affect people with disabilities who depend on essential health and education services.

Child with a disability receiving healthcare support in a rural African clinic

Analysis

CBM UK's warning about the impact of aid cuts on people with disabilities adds a crucial dimension to the growing chorus of concern from the Christian development sector. While much of the debate has focused on aggregate poverty statistics, CBM rightly highlights that disability is a multiplier of vulnerability — that people with disabilities are consistently among the last to receive services and the first to be cut when budgets shrink.

A 56% reduction in aid funding to Africa is not an abstraction. It means children with visual impairments who will not receive the surgery that could restore their sight. It means adults with physical disabilities who will lose access to the rehabilitation services that enable them to work and participate in community life. It means families who will carry heavier burdens with less support.

The church's historic commitment to disability ministry — rooted in the conviction that every person bears the image of God — demands that we speak clearly on this issue. We commend CBM UK for their advocacy and urge the Christian community to amplify their voice.

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