Canada foreign aid budget at record low, spends less than 2% on gender equality and women’s rights

Commenting on the Official Development Assistance (ODA) report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released on April 8, 2015, Oxfam Canada Executive Director Julie Delahanty said:
 
“The majority of OECD countries increased their aid budgets in 2014, upholding their commitment to help end poverty and suffering in some of the world’s poorest countries. At the same time, Canada cut its aid budget once again – with ODA shrinking more than 10% between 2013 and 2014.
 
Canada’s spending on aid is now at a record low, representing less than 0.24% of Gross National Income (GNI). Not only is this a far cry from the target of 0.7% by 2015 that the House of Commons unanimously (re)committed to in 2005, but it is also below the OECD average. In comparison, the United Kingdom exceeded the United Nations ODA target of 0.7% of GNI for a second year in a row.
 
Where is the money for gender equality and women’s rights? Canada continues to spend less than 2% of its aid budget on programs that are specifically designed to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment, far below the OECD donor average.”

Contact:

Melanie Gallant
Media Relations