Christian Aid is a UK-based charity which provides aid to developing countries. It is sponsored by the main Christian denominations in the UK with the exception of the Catholic Church.

The organisation has, in previous years, been known to work in partnership with organisations which provide abortions or refer women to abortion services. In a letter (8 March 2011) to SPUC, Loretta Minghella, Christian Aid's director said that:

• While not supporting abortion clinics, Christian Aid follows the laws of each country it works within, i.e., places where abortion is legal
• "Christian Aid does not fund abortions." But Christian Aid does fund organisations that "...provide support to poor women in crisis, including the provision of counselling services to inform victims of their legal rights, both in terms of advice on legal abortions as well as the risks of illegal abortions"
• "Christian Aid does fund partners that work with young people to ensure they have increased access to accurate, evidence-based and appropriate education around the issues of sexual and reproductive health rights..."
  SPUC comment: It should be noted that "sexual and reproductive health rights" is used commonly as either a technical term or a euphemism for abortion on demand. Also, terms such as "increased access" and "accurate, evidence-based" are used commonly as euphemisms for abortion services and pro-abortion propaganda
• "....[Christian Aid's] partners also work to strengthen young girls' capabilities for informed and autonomous decision-making, in particular to help reduce sexual violence, unintended pregnancies and associated risks."
  SPUC comment: "informed and autonomous decision-making" is a phrase used commonly as a euphemism for abortion on demand   
• "Christian Aid does work with partners that promote use of and access to contraception and we see this as part of our critical strategy around training healthcare staff."
  SPUC comment: many forms of contraception also act to cause early abortions. Also, greater provision of contraception has been shown to lead to higher rates of abortion

The autumn 2010 edition of "Christian Aid News" said (p.22) that: "Part of the answer is improving reproductive health services, which include contraception..."

Recent developments

In a June 2015 policy document on ‘family planning’ the charity stated:

"Christian Aid does not fund abortion clinics and does not regard abortion as a desirable form of birth control. We work hard with partners to remove or alleviate the extreme conditions of poverty and lack of information and access that may lead to abortion. In light of this, we recognise that the most effective way to reduce the demand for abortion is to improve access to, and stimulate demand for, modern methods of contraception and family planning. Our goal is to provide women and couples with the knowledge and services they need to prevent unintended pregnancies before they occur."

Christian Aid have no policy on embryo research.

Please send any information you may have about this charity to SPUC, either by email to rhoslynthomas@spuc.org.uk or by post to SPUC HQ.