SIDA Spring Conference 2025: Engage for impact and unite for change

By Georgiana Bugeag and Elena Kerr

SIDA’s annual international development conference brought together a vibrant mix of organisations, academics, policymakers, and advocates — all united by one question: How can Scotland engage more effectively, both at home and internationally, to tackle global challenges?

The conference was opened with some welcoming words by Frances Guy, followed by the Chair of BOND, Kirsty Smith, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Global Disability Inclusion. Kirsty discussed the cuts in the UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) to fund an increase in defence spending, and its long-term effects. With these new budgets, the world is facing the risk of going back to the HIV levels and figures from the 1990s. She emphasised how these cuts affect people differently, in which the people who are already marginalised, suffer more.

The main takeaways from her speech were her recommendations for what INGOs can do, including the most important point about collaboration. Being collective agents for change, making a difference by working together rather than competing, uniting to fight for limiting the damage these cuts will have on lives and livelihoods. Kirsty discussed setting out transparent processes for deciding on priorities that are evidence-driven, needs-based, and that is participatory, prioritising LNOB – Leave No One Behind. She mentioned how 34 African countries spend more money on external debt rather than healthcare and education, which acts as a “hidden handbrake” that make it difficult to change existing systems, such as debt servicing, illicit tax flows, and fossil fuel penalties.

The next speaker, Soomin Oh, from Development Engagement Lab, presented statistics and data on Scottish public attitudes around engagement with global poverty and development. Soomin explored the latest trends from January 2025 in Scottish attitudes, in which there is an overall downwards trend in support for humanitarian aid as it is perceived as not going to intended recipients, or that it is inefficient and spent on programmes that do not reduce poverty. This is reflected in the data that showed only 21% thought development aid is effective, and 31% say that they have trust in NGOs and charities. 78% of respondents thought that the world is getting worse, and 54% are concerned about levels of poverty in lower-income countries.

On the other side, Soomin also showed what are drivers of increased support and engagement, which is rooted in values, concern for global poverty, morality, and guilt. As well as the importance of meeting basic needs, and global connectedness. The data also showed where the respondents received their news, with 55% relying on traditional news media, and only 14% of respondents have shared information with others. 17% have donated, and less than 5% have volunteered or contacted their MPs. The greatest concern for the respondents is the economic crisis, job security, and wages, as well as war, conflict, and terrorism, in contrast to water, health, and education which tends to be at the bottom of the list of concerns.

The main takeaway from this data is that the Scottish public needs more convincing for supporting and engaging with these issues, building on values of fairness, justice and equality.

The panel on Bridging Sectors, Engaging Society was a highlight:

Gemma Day shared WaterAid’s bold rebranding journey, focusing on sharpening their identity around water as the foundation for all progress. She reminded us that water it’s a solution. WaterAid is embracing global steering groups, internally and externally, to "think big" and ensure climate justice is part of the conversation.

Mark McAllister urged us to shift from problem-centred thinking to solution-focused collaboration. His call for transformative, cross-sectoral alliances echoed strongly throughout the day.

Dr. Francisca Mutapi drew a direct line between global health and Scottish realities. The story of snail fever which is a tropical disease now affecting travellers and potentially Scottish communities — made the interconnectedness of global and local health issues very real.

Dan Paris offered a note of caution, reminding campaigners that while governments and movements might share similar goals, their priorities can differ. His advice? Stay true to your mission, but be savvy in navigating political landscapes.

The panel also took on tough questions, like "Why is WaterAid still needed 40 years later?" Gemma pointed out, as with other social issues, progress does not mean the problem is solved — it means we’re still needed, evolving, and adapting. Another powerful moment came when discussing the tension between "charity at home" vs. "charity abroad". The consensus? We must stop treating these as competing agendas. It sometimes looks like we live in an era of trade-offs.

Workshops: From Values to Action

The afternoon workshops grounded these big ideas into practical action. In How Can Scotland Be a Good Global Citizen?, facilitators Charlotte Dwyer and Faith Bateman reminded us that global citizenship is not just about understanding global issues — it’s about activating values like empathy, justice, fairness, and solidarity locally.

Key insights:

• Global issues and local issues are often two sides of the same coin.

• Individualism may be rising, but young people are leading the way, especially through frameworks like the UNCRC.

• Campaigns need to move people, not just inform them — to encourage empathy, put people in each other's shoes, and make connections personal.

Workshops on AI for INGOs and Advocacy Strategy also provided practical tools and space for reflection, equipping attendees to think strategically as we approach major milestones like the 2026 Scottish elections and the 2030 SDG deadline.

This conference left us with a challenge. Collaboration must be more than a buzzword. Public engagement needs to be more than a metric. And global citizenship has to start with meaningful local connections. If there’s one thing the day made clear, it’s this: Scotland has a vital role to play globally, but to do so effectively, we must bridge sectors, engage society, and put values into action.