BACKGROUND METHODOLOGY & SAMPLE SPECIFICATIONS THE SURVEY QUESTIONS SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS PRESENTATION OF THE RESULTS Content of report

BACKGROUND A. BACKGROUND

Background Action for Global Health commissioned a survey in five countries where Action for Global Health is based (Spain, Italy, France, Germany and the UK) to evaluate citizens’ views on providing health aid to developing countries. The overall mission of Action for Global Health is to monitor how the actions and policies of European governments affect health in developing countries and to influence decision- makers to improve their practice.

B. METHODOLOGY & SAMPLE SPECIFICATIONS

Representative samples of 1000 respondents aged 18 and over in each of the 5 countries TRENDSbus omnibus survey using Computer-Assisted Telephone interviewing Fieldwork in August interviews achieved Data weighted by gender, age and region within a country and proportionally to the 18+ population in a country for the total results Methodology

Weighted sample distribution

C. THE SURVEY QUESTIONS

9 The survey questions QB1 : These questions relate to support to developing countries, which are the poorest countries in the world where economic and social development is a long way behind (NATION). Improving health in developing countries is one way of supporting these countries. By this, we mean action to reduce child mortality, to reduce mothers’ mortality (number of women who die as a result of childbirth or during pregnancy), and the fight against diseases such as HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. In your opinion, does the (NATIONALITY) government allocate too much, too little or about the right proportion of its money to helping to improve health in developing countries? Even if you do not know the amount, please answer based on your general impression. QB2 : Please say to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statement: One of the main targets of the European Union's support FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES should be improving health so that people are fit to work and thereby reduce poverty in the long term. Do you strongly agree, tend to agree, tend to disagree or strongly disagree with this statement? QB3 : Would you say that help for developing countries is more efficient if it is provided by each European government separately or if it is combined and coordinated through the European Union?

A. SUMMARY D. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS

11 Summary of the findings ALLOCATION OF GOVERNMENT MONEY Although overall the majority view is that governments allocate about the right amount of money to helping to improve health in developing countries (43%), there is considerable support for more spending as 38% of respondents feel that their government allocates too little money. Public opinion in the five EU donor countries differs strongly. In Italy, which spends the smallest proportion of its gross national income on development aid, over half of the respondents feel their government allocates too little money (51%). In Germany, only a quarter of respondents share this view. Young people (and those who are still studying) far more often than other socio- demographic groups hold the view that their government spends too little (53%). IMPROVING HEALTH SHOULD BE ONE OF THE MAIN TARGETS OF EU SUPPORT FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES In all the countries surveyed and among all the socio-demographic groups examined there is widespread agreement that improving health should be one of the main targets of EU support for developing countries. On average, 86% of respondents agree. ORGANISING HELP FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES Citizens in all five countries broadly support the opinion that help for developing countries is more efficient if it is combined and coordinated through the European Union (79%). There is also widespread agreement with this opinion among the different socio-demographic groups that the survey identifies.

E. PRESENTATION OF THE RESULTS

Nearly 4 out of 10 citizens find that their government allocates too little money to helping improve health in developing countries QB1: In your opinion, does the (NATIONALITY) government allocate too much, too little or about the right proportion of its money to helping to improve health in developing countries? Even if you do not know the amount, please answer based on your general impression.

In this regard, public opinion differs at country level

Opinions and reality Opinion: Italian respondents most often feel that their government spends too little (51%); Reality: their government has the lowest allocation of development aid and further reduced its aid from 2006 to Opinion: Close to half of Spanish respondents seem to want more spending (46%); Reality: their government has the highest % of GNI spent on ODA and in fact increased its aid between 2006 and Opinion: German respondents are most critical about development aid; Reality: their government is not the biggest spender. QB1 by country ITESFRUKDE Too little51%46%44%33%25% About the right amount31%37%41%50% Too much6%9% 15%20% Don't know (SPONTANEOUS)12%9%6%3%5% % of GNI spent on ODA in 2007* % Change since 2006* *Source: "Report 2 Healthy Aid", Action for Global Health, June 2008

Young people stand out Unlike the other socio-demographic groups examined, over half of the respondents aged 18 to 24 and those who are still studying find that their government allocates too little money to helping to improve health in developing countries (both 53%). QB1 by Socio- demographics GenderAgeEducation (End of) TotalMaleFemale and more 15 – Still studying Too little38% 39%53%39%38%34%36%35%42%53% About the right amount43%42%43%32%44%42%45%41%45%42%35% Too much12%14%11% 12% 13% 15%9%6% Don't know (SPONTANEOUS) 7%6%7%3%6%7%8%11%5%6%

The survey reveals widespread agreement that improving health should be one of the main targets of the EU’s support for developing countries QB2 : Please say to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statement: One of the main targets of the European Union's support FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES should be improving health so that people are fit to work and thereby reduce poverty in the long term. Do you strongly agree, tend to agree, tend to disagree or strongly disagree with this statement?

Agreement that improving health should be one of the main targets of the EU’s support for developing countries is widespread in all 5 countries Public opinion is particularly outspoken in Spain, where more than half of the respondents strongly agree (56%). The strength of support is such that the lowest national agreement levels are 82% (for Germany) and 83% (for France).

Equally, there is broad consensus about the main targets among the socio-demographic groups examined It is perhaps interesting to note that agreement is highest among the oldest age category and among citizens who ended their education before reaching age 16 (both 89%). QB2 by Socio-demographics GenderAgeEducation (End of) TotalMaleFemale and more 15 – Still studying Total agree86%83%88%83%85%83%89% 86%84%86% Total disagree12%14%10%16%13%14%8%7%12%15%13% Don't know (SPONTANEOUS)2% 1%2%3% 4%2%

The survey reveals broad support for combining and coordinating help for developing countries through the European Union

Notwithstanding some variation, support for EU-coordinated aid is widespread in all the countries and among all the socio-demographic groups examined

22 Vision, Public Opinion & Reality VISION: Since November 2005, a common vision of development by the Member States of the EU and the EC has existed. The European Consensus on Development provides a framework to support developing countries in their poverty reduction strategies, including building up health systems and support for capacity-building programmes and initiatives for democracy and good governance. It also built upon an earlier agreement for a timetable to increase European states’ aid. (Source: Action for Global Health, Report Two, June 2008) Public opinion: The survey highlights that the public supports this vision. The results of the survey can be used to convince European Leaders to change current reality REALITY: EU Member States still prefer bilateral relations with developing countries, illustrated in many of the case studies in this report. They seem to prefer their own technical advisers, their own funding priorities and have a varied approach to the major global health partnerships, on the one hand, and sector and budget support on the other. This continued reliance on bilateral agreements presents the primary challenge for improving the effectiveness of European health aid. (Source: Action for Global Health, Report Two, June 2008)