Public Opinion Research, Global Education and Development Co-operation Reform : In Search of a Virtuous Circle

Summary of trends on public opinion and international development co-operation in OECD DAC member countries: i) Public support in OECD DAC member countries for helping poor countries has remained consistently high for almost two decades: there is no aid fatigue; ii) Donations from the public to development and emergency NGOs have been increasing, mostly in reaction to emergencies and natural disasters in developing countries; iii) Concern among the public about aid effectiveness exists alongside continued high support for aid; iv) The relationship between public support and ODA volumes is complex, but a positive correlation exists at the national level between satisfaction with ODA volume, and reaching or bypassing the UN target of 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income; v) People’s understanding of poverty and development issues remains very shallow. Public awareness about ODA and development co-operation policies is also low; vi) Awareness does increase significantly as a result ...