A panel at the Women Deliver 2026 Conference in Melbourne examined how global financing systems shape outcomes for communities and who bears the cost of fiscal decisions.
The session, titled The Cost: Who Bears the Price of Fiscal Choices, was held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. It brought together Ruth Cross Kwansing, Dr Amrita Kapur, Aapta Garg and Fiana Arbab to discuss funding structures, access to resources and the impact on care systems and communities.
Ruth Cross Kwansing said delays and limited flexibility remain a barrier to accessing international funding.
“What do you mean from the international system that you’re still not getting more flexibility and greater understanding? Because when you think of what it takes to access these fundings, it generally takes years. If we talk about climate finance mechanisms, it takes years to unlock that funding.”
She described the situation facing island communities navigating early-stage funding processes.
“I know of islands that are stuck in the readiness process, and the readiness process is what allows governments to start developing these programs or accessing the funding.”
Kwansing said current systems tend to prioritise infrastructure over direct community needs.
“So what we need is for those programs to understand that it’s not just governments that are solving the issues, because governments solve public issues. Right now, those financing mechanisms focus on public issues, which means protecting schools or hospitals or roads, but that doesn’t protect communities. That is the mechanism we need to unlock to create flexibility so that we can solve problems with families directly.”
Dr Amrita Kapur turned to global spending priorities and the scale of military budgets.
“It’s worth taking a moment to look at what this military spending amount means in real terms. Just two days ago, the global military spending report showed it rose by 2.9% to $2.8 trillion. How do we make sense of this enormous figure?”
She noted the concentration among the largest spenders.
“The five biggest spenders were the US, China, Russia, Germany and India, accounting for 58%, but this amount could fund a decade of universal primary health care the world over.”
Kapur said a shift in priorities could deliver outcomes across sectors.
“If we had three to four years of that funding, we would be able to cover universal education, universal primary health care, eradicate extreme poverty and carry out an energy transition.”
Fiana Arbab outlined the financial pressures facing lower-income countries.
“3.3 billion people now live in countries that spend more on debt servicing than on health and education, and the most food insecure countries have seen the highest increases in debt.”
Dr Amrita Kapur said global military spending highlights the gap between resources and priorities. “The five biggest spenders were the US, China, Russia, Germany and India, accounting for 58%, but this amount could fund a decade of universal primary health care the world over. If we had three to four years of that funding, we would be able to cover universal education, universal primary health care, eradicate extreme poverty and carry out an energy transition”
She said debt servicing is placing increasing strain on public budgets.
“Debt servicing is expected to consume 55% of low income countries budgets in Sub Saharan Africa by 2025, so we’ve already surpassed that.”
Arbab pointed to spending decisions by wealthier nations.
“Nation states who have the most to give have increasingly chosen to spend precious public funds on the military.”
She said the impact extends beyond economics.
“This cost is not only economic and political. It is also human.”
Arbab referred to the impact of conflict on communities.
“It displaces populations and results in repression in neighbouring countries.”
She said these pressures are being felt more widely.
“I as an upper middle class woman of the global north, raised in the United States, I’m even feeling the pinch locally.”
Arbab described the effect of funding cuts on organisations.
“I’ve lost funding for the Michigan student power Alliance, which is a nonprofit that I helped found. It’s been 10 years in the making, and now we’ve had to close operations.”
“I’ve also lost my job in the international development sector, which continues to shrink, and I’ve had to secure another one.”
She said public awareness is shifting.
“The delusions are broken, and people are rising.”
She pointed to growing movements across regions.
“Revolution is catching fire around the world. I’m talking Nepal, Bangladesh, Philippines, Peru, Madagascar, Morocco.”
Arbab called for a different approach to financing and cooperation.
“We need to finance like we are in solidarity. We need to connect like we are in solidarity, and we need to dance together like we are in solidarity.”
The panel formed part of the Women Deliver 2026 Conference programme, which has drawn more than 6,500 delegates from across the world to Melbourne. Discussions continue to focus on accountability, funding systems and how global commitments translate into outcomes for women and communities. Further sessions on public systems, climate justice, care economies and global financing priorities continue through the week.
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