Scotland's international development policy must take white privilege into account – Jenny Gilruth MSP

Earlier this year I listened to one of the most powerful speeches in the Scottish Parliament I have ever heard.
In a powerful speech to MSPs, Justice Secretary Humza  Yousaf spoke of the whiteness of Scotland’s judicial system and the dire need for progress for Scotland’s black, Asian and minority ethnic communities (Picture: John Devlin)In a powerful speech to MSPs, Justice Secretary Humza  Yousaf spoke of the whiteness of Scotland’s judicial system and the dire need for progress for Scotland’s black, Asian and minority ethnic communities (Picture: John Devlin)
In a powerful speech to MSPs, Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf spoke of the whiteness of Scotland’s judicial system and the dire need for progress for Scotland’s black, Asian and minority ethnic communities (Picture: John Devlin)

My colleague in the Scottish Government, Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf, spoke of the whiteness of Scotland’s judicial system, and outlined the dire need for progress for Scotland’s black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. I left the Chamber that day with much to contemplate.

I could not help but consider the overwhelming number of white faces I‘ve met in person, or virtually, since becoming Minister for International Development in February.

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That is not to dismiss the valuable expertise we have in Scotland. But I was struck by the words of an academic in one of our partner countries recently. She said: “If you come to my country and you put a white person in charge of a programme – when I could do that job, when I know my local community – that’s what Black Lives Matter means to me. That is white privilege.”

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We should seek to set an example in Scotland. So movements such as Black Lives Matter are very much on my mind, particularly during Black History month, as I consider how the Scottish Government responds through our international development policy.

Our ongoing review of our international development programme has also been inspired by another inescapable issue: the Covid-19 pandemic. Every single part of the Scottish Government’s work has been affected by the virus, and that includes international development. We have tried to mitigate the effects, including being more flexible with funding where required. We also announced a £2 million fund to contribute to Covid-19 efforts in our partner countries.

But it is clear that the virus will remain a global threat for some time. This is why it is the right time to pause and reflect on our work.

There is also a context for change; the Foreign Office/Department for International Development merger signposted a shift in UK Government policy which directly ties aid to national interest. The Prime Minister described Britain’s aid as a giant cashpoint in the sky. In 2005 our international development offer was meant to complement the work of the UK Government. In 2020 the foreign policy objectives of the UK Government seem wed-locked to isolationism. Where stands Scotland at this juncture?

I believe we must recommit, renew and refocus our commitment to international development. Our partner countries, Malawi, Zambia, Rwanda and Pakistan, remain unchanged. At the heart of our review must be the needs of those countries. I’ve held virtual meetings with representatives of the Malawian and Zambian Governments to gain their views, but I‘m also keen to hear from civil society in those countries, as well as stakeholders in Scotland.

We need to be open to and serious about change.

Let me be frank: I fully recognise I am a white Scottish Government minister, serving in an almost completely white Parliament, in a country where systemic racism prevents the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community from achieving their full potential.

As I told Parliament last week: we can’t turn the clock back. But we can take responsibility by refreshing our international development policy in Scotland to take account of that historical privilege, whilst maintaining an approach in tune with our values: compassion, solidarity and internationalism.

Minister for International Development Jenny Gilruth

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