Refocus Canada's development assistance on helping the most vulnerable and supporting fragile states.

What success looks like

Global poverty is reduced by investing in gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls and by focusing on the poorest and most vulnerable.

Government's narrative on progress

The Government of Canada is focusing its development assistance on closing gaps and barriers faced by women and girls around the world and achieving the sustainable development goals. This commitment is reflected in the Women’s Voice and Leadership Program, which supports local women’s organizations in 30 countries and regions, and the Her Voice, Her Choice to address sexual and reproductive health and rights. The Feminist International Assistance Policy announced in 2017 commits to directing 50 per cent of Canada's annual bilateral international development assistance to sub-Saharan African countries by 2021-2022 and ensuring that 95 per cent of bilateral international development assistance integrates or targets gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Budget 2018 announced up to $2 billion in new resources and $1.5 billion for innovative finance approaches in support of the Feminist International Assistance Policy. In May 2018, Canada launched a call to action to the private sector and philanthropists to catalyze new investments in support of gender equality and women’s rights in developing countries and will contribute up to $300 million. In June 2018, G7 Development Ministers, G7 Finance Ministers and the G7 Leaders agreed to a variety of ambitious declarations on financing for development and on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. G7 leaders announced $3.8 billion to support the Charlevoix Declaration on Quality Education for Girls, Adolescent Girls and Women in Developing Countries, of which Canada will invest $400 million. Budget 2019 announced an additional $700 million for the International Assistance Envelope in 2023-24, in order to support the implementation of Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. The Budget also included a commitment to renew Canada's Middle East Strategy with the goal of reducing the vulnerability of conflict-affected populations and bolstering the participation of women in the peace process in Syria and the reconciliation processes in Iraq.

Note: this is the government's own description, not an independent assessment.