AID/WATCH is a not for profit activist organisation monitoring and campaigning on Australian overseas aid and trade policies and programs. We work to ensure aid-funding reaches the right people, communities and their environments.



Publicly funded Australian overseas aid and trade activities occur in different ways: through bilateral programs with recipient countries, contributions to multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, and Australian companies. When Australian companies invest overseas, a special public agency - the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation [EFIC], offers insurance and loans to assist them.



The flow of aid can be constructive particularly in programs of emergency relief and health. However, development projects can have detrimental impacts on local communities when the donor country imposes decisions without the appropriate assessment of social, cultural and environmental needs. AID/WATCH works with partner groups, especially in the Asia-Pacific, researching and evaluating projects impacts in order to lobby the Australian Government to prevent potentially damaging programs.



AID/WATCH also aims to inform the Australian community of how the aid dollar is spent. We believe increased awareness about the reality of international aid and EFIC projects will lead to truly beneficial programs for local communities.



Our purpose

To support people and communities in low-income countries to determine the future of their development.

To ensure aid money reaches the right people, communities and their environment.

To increase accountability and transparency of aid, development banks and Export Finance and Insurance Corporation projects.

To monitor aid and EFIC projects and ensure they have stringent environmental, ethical, social and cultural guidelines.