House of Representatives passes bipartisan bill to reduce poverty & violence in fragile countries

WASHINGTON — The ONE Campaign applauded the House of Representatives’ passage of the Global Fragility Act of 2019 (H.R.2116) which would create comprehensive strategies to reduce poverty, violence and corruption in fragile states. 

Tom Hart, North America executive director at The ONE Campaign:

“It’s impossible to end extreme poverty without focusing on fragile states, where 80% of the world’s poor will live by 2030. This bipartisan bill will develop a U.S. strategy that is focused on crisis prevention, not response, in order to secure a better future for people living in extreme poverty. This much-needed shift in approach will save both lives and money. 

“ONE thanks Chairman Eliot Engel and Ranking Member Michael McCaul for spearheading this bill and securing critical bipartisan support for the legislation. ONE and its members will continue to campaign on this bill to gain Senate passage and send it to the president’s desk.”

About the Global Fragility Act of 2019

The number of people living in extreme poverty is increasingly concentrated in fragile states with violence and instability. The Global Fragility Act would direct USAID, the State Department, and the Department of Defense to work together to develop 10-year strategies to stabilize fragile areas and prevent violence. The bill calls for the selection of priority countries in a minimum of three geographic regions; and for strategies to include local and civil society participation, and monitoring and evaluation systems. This legislation would give the United States government the tools it needs to do development in more difficult settings and more effectively reach some of the world’s most vulnerable people.

For more information, or to speak with an expert about the legislation, contact Sean Simons at [email protected].