Spain: aid and development

The number of aid workers in Spain is around 1,400 and are involved in more than 63 different countries around the world as Canal Solidario, the Spanish speaking non profit information resource, referrers.

In 2006 the Spanish Council Minister approved the Volunteer Statute and designated September 8 as “The Dia del Cooperante”, a day for saying thanks to all those people who work in the humanitarian and social fields, both at home in Spain and abroad.

In Spain, the romantic ideal of aid workers as untrained volunteers travelling to experience the developing world and give a helping hand along the way has long been overtaken by a new reality. Today’s aid workers are highly trained individuals with university degrees who manage, implement and evaluate projects over long periods of time.

To match the sector’s growing professionalism, Spanish authorities, through the 2006 Statute, are slowing beginning to develop strategies that safeguard humanitarian workers in their work. Such as a specially designed insurance and social assistance program for aid workers that is co-financed by Aecid, the Spanish international development agency, and that aims to provide subsidised healthcare and maternity leave for female workers.

According to Soraya Rodriguez, State Secretary for international aid and development, 38% of aid workers already benefit from Aecid’s insurance, however there are still many issues that remain uncovered. Illnesses acquired in foreign countries, the cost of schooling aid worker’s children and tax breaks for working abroad have not yet been acknowledged, highlights Josè Marià Medina, president of Congde, Spain’s development NGOs coordinating body.

In the run up to September 8 celebrations, the Spanish government has also confirmed its intention to fulfil President Zapatero’s promise to allocate 0.7% of Spain’s Gdp to development between 2009-2012.