Faith leaders call for generosity in overseas aid
UCA's UnitingWorld among delegation to lobby Federal parliamentarians
September 4, 2025
by Marcus Campbell, Communications Manager at UnitingWorld
Last week, Dr Sureka Goringe, National Director of the UCA agency UnitingWorld, joined the Micah Australia Women Leaders Delegation in Canberra for three days of advocacy meetings with Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum.
Now in its seventh year, the delegation brought together 48 women leaders from 13 denominations and church-based agencies, united in their call for a stronger Australian aid program as a pathway to peace and stability.
The group met with more than 40 MPs – including Foreign Minister Penny Wong and fellow Minister Dr Anne Aly – to advocate for restoring the aid budget to 1% of Gross National Income (GNI) and to highlight urgent global challenges, such as the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.
The reengagement with MPs was warm and substantive, with bipartisan recognition that aid is both a form of prevention and a vital expression of Australia’s global leadership.
For Dr Goringe, the experience was not only about engaging with decision-makers, but also about standing in solidarity with a powerful and diverse network of Christian women dedicated to advocating for the vulnerable and marginalised.
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