The Netherlands is a small, wealthy, and open trading nation. Our international cooperation has always been driven partly by solidarity with the world’s poorest and partly by well-understood self-interest. Dutch governments have always recognised that we share a common global interest in a world order based on international agreements, stability, and mutual cooperation. The alternative would be a world ruled by the law of the strongest, where great powers carve up the wealth. In such a world, the Netherlands, as a small and vulnerable country, has no place and much to lose.
Now that the United States is withdrawing from the world stage and is leaving a gap in international cooperation, the additional Dutch budget cuts hit even harder. By drastically reducing our contribution to stability and development, the Netherlands not only weakens its own position but also abandons its allies who strive for a safer and fairer world.
Women’s Rights Promote Peace
By – once again – making these severe cuts Minister Klever undermines the trust that the Netherlands has built over many years. The fact that she specifically targets civil society organisations and projects focused on women’s rights means she is cutting back on the very forces in society that contribute to peace.
PAX believes in the power of change among citizens. We know that, in conflict areas, it is often women’s groups that foster peace and stability. But such groups do not emerge spontaneously. It takes years of support, training, and organisation for them to flourish. These are the people who will be hardest hit by these cuts, and it will cost lives in the countries where we work.
