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Section II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcomes
Strategic Outcome 1: Increased Achievement of Development Goals Consistent with Canadian Foreign Policy Objectives
Description: Canada pursues the achievement of development goals that collectively aim at reducing poverty.
Concrete examples of progress achieved with CIDA support:
- Millions of people are healthier because of vaccination campaigns; rehabilitated health centres, community-health workers and health professionals trained in emergency obstetrical care, antiretroviral drug treatments, greater access to safe water, and, antimalarial bed nets.
- Food security improved in several countries where farmers used new techniques or new crops and saw increased production and income. More than 105 million hungry people in 78 countries received food aid. CIDA funding also contributed to providing food in schools to approximately 21 million children worldwide, of which about 47 percent were girls.
- Communities benefited from sustainable economic growth, for example, through support to small entrepreneurs, microcredit, or tax reforms.
- Government institutions have been strengthened, allowing for more transparent budget planning, monitoring and policy making, accountable financial and procurement management, increased results-based public programs, improved statistical capacity, and better delivery of public services.
- More than 140 Canadian civil society organizations promoted democratic governance through the development of policies and programs that support the rights of women and youth, increased democratic participation, labour rights, accountability and transparency, food security, and environmental sustainability.
- Independent election institutions, electoral processes, and democratic participation of women and men were supported.
CIDA program activities contribute directly to progress toward the MDGs and toward democratic governance. The following pages provide performance information for each of CIDA’s program activity.
Explanation of Variance
The variance between planned and actual spending is mainly due to funding being channelled through other programming means, such as multilateral institutions, instead of bilateral programming, for example, to enable the Agency to respond adequately and in a timely manner to the food crisis. The variance between total authorities and actual
spending is mainly due to the Pakistan-Canada Debt for Education Conversion (PCDEC) initiative. For more details, see note 39 on page 20.
Enhanced Capacity of Countries of Concentration to Achieve Development Goals
Performance Summary
CIDA focused the majority of its resources allocated to countries of concentration to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of aid in support of progress toward country development goals. Programming achieved considerable progress in building the capacity of these countries to achieve the MDGs in areas such as education and health. Significant progress was also made in tackling the root causes of food insecurity, as well as in improving the level of democratic governance.
In 2009–2010, CIDA put in place a new planning process for geographic programs whereby country strategies were developed for 24 of the 25 countries of concentration.40 These strategies include an analysis of the recipient country’s needs as identified in their national poverty reduction strategy or national development plan. They form the basis upon which programs in CIDA’s countries of focus developed their country development programming frameworks, thus fully aligning CIDA’s bilateral programs and activities with the plans of partner countries.41
Performance Analysis
Over the course of 2009–2010, CIDA achieved results through key investment in sectors such as education, health, food security, democratic governance, and sustainable economic growth.
What evaluations tell us about managing country programs
Major findings of the country program evaluations conducted in 2008–2009 (Ghana, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Vietnam) include these:
- CIDA investments are addressing highly relevant needs of people in recipient countries.
- Most of the aid objectives and intended results are being achieved with increased likelihood in the sustainability of the benefits, but there is still room for improvement.
- CIDA managers are exercising due diligence and making adjustments in their programming choices as needed.
- Integrating crosscutting issues such as gender equality and the environment remains a challenge for the programs.
Through CIDA’s work in education, children and youth benefited directly from improved infrastructure and increased access to schooling, ultimately aimed at reducing poverty and increasing self-sufficiency.
For example, in Bangladesh, the BRAC42 Education Program posted impressive results in reaching children that the national school system could not: drop-outs, ethnic minorities, the disabled, and the extremely poor. CIDA was one of seven donors supporting the program that saw 1.3 million children graduate from BRAC primary schools over the past five years. Of these graduates, 93 percent enrolled in higher grades of primary and secondary schools.
CIDA programming also contributed to progress toward the universal primary education MDG. For example, CIDA budgetary support to Mali’s education sector contributed to an increase in primary school enrolment from 79 percent in 2008 to 81 percent in 2009. Mali now appears on track to reach its goal of 100 percent primary enrolment by 2015.
In Nicaragua, where Canada is one of three donor countries supporting the national education plan, the government’s education reform led to a sharp decline in illiteracy. In 2006 about 22 percent of the population over the age of 10 was illiterate; this decreased to only 3 percent in 2009. In Pakistan more than 120,000 teachers and education professionals, almost half of whom were women, were trained as part of the Pakistan-Canada Debt for Education Conversion (PCDEC) initiative. Training women teachers and administrators is critical to raising girls’ enrolment rates: many families will more readily send their daughters to school if they can be assured of qualified women teachers.
Measurable progress in health and sanitation was seen in 2009–2010 in several countries of concentration, including Ghana, where access to safe water in rural areas improved from 57 percent of the rural population in 2008 to 59 percent in 2009. In Ethiopia, CIDA programming contributed to continued progress in reducing child mortality and maternal deaths due to improved access through local health centres and extension workers to contraceptives, antimalarial bed nets, and immunization. For example, the proportion of children vaccinated against three deadly childhood diseases—diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus—rose to 82 percent last year from 73 percent in 2007–2008.
Despite the negative effects of the global economic downturn, CIDA achieved important results in advancing food security. In Vietnam, CIDA programming increased farm incomes through expanded production of higher-value crops and livestock. For example, farmers increased production of fragrant rice from 3,586 hectares in 2005 to 18,707 hectares in 2009. While severe droughts have hampered food production in Tanzania, CIDA programming contributed to an increase in the number of hectares of irrigated cropland. In Ukraine, CIDA programming established a system of 17 agricultural extension service offices in four regions. More than 5,000 farmers have been served by these offices, with 79 percent of the farmers reporting increased profits.
CIDA is also working to promote sustainable economic growth for some of the world’s most vulnerable citizens. For example, in Sri Lanka, CIDA programming established 57 community groups to advocate for the poorest households in some of the communities most severely affected by the country’s recent conflict. Microcredit schemes and other initiatives organized by these groups led to a 15-percent increase in livelihood incomes in all three project areas and a 35-percent increase in the Polonnaruwa area in north central Sri Lanka. In addition, through CIDA programming in Indonesia, 26,500 villagers participated in decisions affecting their livelihoods, benefiting from activities they conceived, such as soil-erosion control, integrated pest management, and demonstration plots for commodity crops.
As part of its commitment to improve aid effectiveness, Canada took a lead role in coordinating the work of donors in support of nationally identified country priorities. For example, as the co-chair of Ghana’s Multi Donor Budget Support Group, CIDA helped to strengthen communication and engagement between development partners, parliamentarians, civil society organizations, and the government in implementing the country’s national development strategy. In Senegal, CIDA became the lead donor in education in 2009 and assumed responsibility for coordinating the dialogue between donors and the government. It is harmonizing its interventions with other donors, and has supported the Government of Senegal's 10-year plan to lead the reform of its education system. Playing these leadership roles allowed CIDA to interact with decision makers and to pursue policy changes in key areas linked with Canada’s priorities.
CIDA assistance to the Ministry of Education in Mozambique strengthened the ministry’s systems and capacity to procure textbooks for primary education. In total, this helped the ministry obtain 74 million textbooks since 2005. In 2009, the cost of textbooks decreased to $1.20 each, considerably lower than the price in previous years and in neighbouring countries. This resulted in all primary students in the national education system having access to textbooks, and contributed to the country’s nearly 100-percent enrolment rate.
Canada has been playing a key role in supporting young and fragile democracies by strengthening the capacity of their political institutions, public administration systems, and civil society in support of freedom and democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and accountable public institutions. Based on data taken from a commonly used and internationally recognized indicator, the International Development Association Resource Allocation Index (IRAI) (2005–2006–2007–2008–2009),43 the levels of good governance in the countries of concentration have stayed relatively stable.
Canada supported the creation of an Office of the Auditor General by the Government of Mali in 2008. Well recognized by citizens and civil society, the role of this office is to hold government accountable for public spending. A visit by Canada’s Auditor General to Mali in January 2010 raised the profile of the new office, whose reports are being used by some donors to make aid-financing decisions. In Bolivia, CIDA programming supporting democratic governance helped to ensure free and fair elections. Through Canadian support to the National Electoral Commission, more than 40,000 people obtained birth certificates and registered to vote. In the December 2009 general election, a remarkable 95 percent of eligible Bolivians voted.
In Ethiopia, CIDA has been a leader in efforts to link the Donor Group on Gender Equality to other technical working groups. In the food security area, CIDA lobbied successfully to fully implement the gender equality provisions of a large, multidonor food-for-work program, such as allowing women to work reduced hours and relieving pregnant women of work obligations.
Lessons Learned
A high turnover of personnel in participating organizations can undermine efforts at building lasting capacity. To address this issue, a project in the education sector in Pakistan focused on systems, not individuals. Staff training and other capacity-development activities were carried out for teams rather than individuals. This created a ‘‘critical
mass’’ of trained people, and reduced the negative impact caused by the occasional transfer of staff members.
The importance of working with a variety of development actors in countries that experience significant governance challenges, such as Honduras, was highlighted during the political crisis of 2009.44 While programming supporting the Honduran government's Education for All initiative came to a halt, CIDA was able to continue supporting initiatives with multilateral institutions, such as the World Food Programme, and civil society partners, such as CARE Canada. CIDA's diversified choice of partners provided the program with the flexibility and ability to continue providing international assistance. As a result, the political crisis did not have the significant impact that it could have had on program performance.
Explanation of Variance
The variance between planned and actual spending is mainly due to additional funding received during the year in support of various emergency situations, notably the 2010 Haiti earthquake, population displacement in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and additional funding for food security programming in Sudan.
Reduced Vulnerability of Crisis-Affected People
Performance Summary
The global humanitarian situation remained dire in 2009 due in part to the deepening of the global economic and financial crisis, and the persistence of high food prices. More than one billion people were facing hunger by the end of the year, and the 43.3 million forcibly displaced persons was the highest amount since the mid-1990s45. Despite these challenges, Canada, in coordination with other donors, enabled the World Food Programme (WFP) to reach 94 percent of its targeted beneficiaries (101.8 million persons), and enabled the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to provide assistance to an unprecedented 15.6 million conflict-generated internally displaced persons (IDPs). CIDA contributions also played a major role in providing humanitarian assistance following the
earthquake in Haiti, as well as in response to less-visible crises, such as typhoons in Southeast Asia, floods in some parts of Africa, and population displacement in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Performance Analysis
Canada’s humanitarian assistance programming objective is to save lives and alleviate the suffering of crisis-affected populations through core lifesaving interventions that respond in an effective, timely, and coordinated fashion. Humanitarian assistance includes the protection of civilians and those no longer taking part in hostilities, and the provision of food, water and sanitation,
shelter, health services, and other relief items. CIDA worked with experienced partner organizations, such as United Nations agencies, the Red Cross Movement and Canadian NGOs, to respond to both complex humanitarian situations and natural disasters in more than 50
countries.
Complex Humanitarian Situations
In 2009, more than 43 million refugees, IDPs, and returnees sought protection by UNHCR—more than one million more than in 2008. CIDA responded to complex humanitarian situations46 in several countries and regions, supporting humanitarian efforts through experienced partners, including UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF, as well as the
International Committee of the Red Cross and Canadian NGOs.
In Pakistan, where an estimated 2.7 million people were displaced by conflict in the volatile regions bordering Afghanistan, CIDA supported humanitarian efforts through the provision of food, shelter, health care, water and sanitation, and protection services to affected populations.
In addition, CIDA supported its partners in providing humanitarian assistance to an estimated 280,000 forcibly displaced people as a result of the civil war in Sri Lanka.
The earthquake in Haiti and Canadian generosity
Within days of the earthquake that struck Haiti, the Government of Canada announced the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund.
This fund matches the generosity of individual Canadians, who donated $220 million to registered charitable organizations.
Natural disasters
CIDA responded to 36 natural disasters in 2009–2010, including Canada’s largest-ever humanitarian response to a natural disaster following the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Canada was one of the first countries to respond to the crisis, and committed $150.15 million to meet the humanitarian needs
of more than 2 million people affected by the earthquake, including more than 1.5 million displaced persons living in improvised settlements.
Food Assistance
In 2009–2010, CIDA contributed $337 million in food aid, mostly through two main food assistance partners, the WFP and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, who met the food needs of some 105 million people in 78 countries, including in Haiti, Afghanistan, and Sudan.
WFP emergency operations met the immediate needs of more than 40 million people facing humanitarian crises in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, and Pakistan through general food distributions and supplementary feeding. CIDA also supported the WFP’s Purchase for Progress (P4P) initiative in Afghanistan. P4P is an innovative program that uses WFP’s food-procurement activities to support local farmers (the majority of whom are women) and markets, thereby helping to address longer-term food insecurity.47 In addition, CIDA continued to be a lead supporter of WFP’s school feeding program across seven African countries to encourage children to stay in school while increasing their nutritional status.
Restored Capacity of Public Institutions and Civil Society
Performance Summary
CIDA supported institutional capacity building and democratic development in these countries. The Agency also contributed to improved access to basic services in health and education, and to strengthened economic activities for the benefit of their populations.
Performance Analysis
Recovery and Reconstruction
In Afghanistan, through CIDA’s support, the Mine Action Coordination Center of Afghanistan (MACCA) surpassed Canada’s targets on mine risk education and mine clearance, releasing a total of 574 km2 of land, thereby
improving the productive potential of land. MACCA delivered mine-risk education to more than one million people nationwide, of which approximately 40 percent were women and girls, including more than 480,000 Kandaharis to date. The number of victims dropped to its lowest level ever in 2009, decreasing by more than 70
percent since 2001.
Supporting Institutional Capacity and Strengthening Aid Effectiveness
In Haiti, CIDA provided 55 experts to train and support staff in central agencies, which resulted in strengthened planning, implementation, and delivery capacity in key institutions, including the Planning and External Cooperation Ministry, Status of Women Ministry, and Ministry of Economy and Finance. In
addition, following the earthquake, the Modernization of the Civil Registry project transformed a pilot mobile registration campaign for children into a massive registration exercise to address the needs of thousands of unaccompanied and orphaned minors. In cooperation with UNICEF, the Ministry of Social Affairs, and the International
Rescue Committee, more than 1,570 children and youth were registered through this initiative.
In West Bank and Gaza, CIDA’s contribution to the World Bank’s Palestinian Reform and Development Plan Trust Fund achieved significant results in helping the Palestinian Authority to improve public financial management and adopt sound macroeconomic policies.
Supporting Electoral Processes
In Sudan, through civic and voter education, and election monitoring, the program supported Sudan’s first multiparty elections since 1986. Approximately 16 million people (50 percent of population) registered to vote in Sudan’s elections, indicating some awareness of elections process. Despite widespread international concern regarding technical challenges and
irregularities surrounding the election results, the election was conducted with minimal violence and recognized by most international observers as a significant achievement given weak electoral capacity, and the technical and logistical challenges experienced.
In Afghanistan, CIDA supported national projects aimed at encouraging people to exercise their right to vote in the 2009 presidential and provincial council elections, especially women who continue to confront serious obstacles to achieve greater political participation. Women represented approximately 38 percent of votes. The 2009 elections were marked by a 15-percent increase in women candidates compared to 2005. Through CIDA’s support, more than 200 women candidates received training on campaigning, and 92 percent of elected women councillors received training that better prepared them to fulfill their mandates.
Lessons Learned
In Haiti, given persistent instability and weak institutions, CIDA has adopted a three-pronged approach, intervening at various levels. CIDA’s bilateral program supports long-term capacity building of public institutions. The Agency also
works closely with Haitian civil society, which plays a role in the delivery of services such as education and health to compensate for the absence of the state. And CIDA works to strengthen coordination and encourage policy dialogue among donors, partners, and the Haitian government by providing more effort to consult and plan
with other donors.
CIDA’s program in West Bank and Gaza is helping to build the capabilities of justice and security institutions to carry out their mandated responsibilities. CIDA recognizes that reforms in both the justice and security sectors are mutually reinforcing and essential elements of the rule of law. As such, the development of CIDA’s justice sector programming requires close coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Department of National Defence, as well as the mission of the United States Security Coordinator and the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories.48
In Afghanistan, insecurity and challenging conditions make development programming across the country difficult. The provision of emergency and development assistance requires innovation and adaptability, Afghan leadership, and the adoption of local approaches to deliver services that reach vulnerable populations. For example, the 2009 implementation of nine national polio immunization campaigns to more than seven million children through the Ministry of Public Health required the mobilization of provincial and local health networks and communities. Local efforts contributed to the Ministry’s ability to prevent the further spread of the poliovirus through the support of more than 54,000 service providers and more than 45,000 trained community volunteer vaccinators who administered polio vaccines from house to house.
In 2009 the Sudan program introduced the notion of conflict-responsive programming to some of its key partners. This process involved the use of geographic information systems, which drew on local databases and expertise to map how factors contributing to instability and conflict impact children and youth, and food security. The result is a stronger evidence base for CIDA and partners to focus projects geographically and on results that contribute to mitigating conflict.
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The following pages provide additional detailed information on the two main Canadian missions in fragile states.
Haiti
On January 12, 2010, a devastating earthquake struck the capital of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, killing 220,000 people and affecting more than two million more. The earthquake also caused catastrophic damage to homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods, creating a major setback to development efforts.
Canada was one of the first donors to respond to the crisis. It rapidly provided funds to the appeal from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, co-funded the Canadian-Norwegian Red Cross field hospital, deployed CIDA emergency relief items, and supported the deployment of humanitarian experts to United Nations agencies.
CIDA’s commitment of $150.15 million dollars in humanitarian assistance to various organizations has helped to provide emergency medical services, food, water and sanitation services, protection, and shelter for those affected by the earthquake. For example: 4.3 million people have received food assistance, 1.2 million people have access to safe water daily, 90 percent of internally displaced persons have access to health clinics, 195,000 children have benefited from temporary learning spaces, and more than 1.5 million people have received emergency shelter materials. CIDA is also funding the construction of 16,500 transitional shelters to help provide more durable, safer shelters for families that have lost their homes.
CIDA also supported a microcredit initiative allowing 350,000 Haitians to access financial services, as well as the cleaning of drainage canals in the Port-au-Prince neighbourhood of Bel Air, contributing to job creation and the improvement of sanitary conditions for nearly 50,000 people.
The program CIDA was implementing in Haiti prior to the earthquake remains, for the most part, relevant to current needs, but additional efforts are needed. CIDA is establishing its reconstruction programming based on Haiti's action plan submitted by the Government of Haiti at the International Donors Conferenceheld in New York City on March 31, 2010, at which Canada pledged $400 million over two years. The pledge includes a contribution to the Haiti Reconstruction Fund, a multidonor trust fund that will help improve the coordination and effectiveness of international assistance. Canada’s pledge was in addition to the generosity of individual Canadians who donated $220 million to registered Canadian charities, an amount the Government of Canada is matching through the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund.
Canada has provided donor leadership and emphasized coordination in the delivery of aid programs in Haiti. For example, before the earthquake, CIDA played an important role in the preparations for a donors conference held in Washington in April 2009. The Agency also held fruitful discussions with the Haitian government in the second Canada-Haiti Expanded Consultation, held in Ottawa in December 2009. Since the earthquake, CIDA has participated in the organization of the Ministerial Preparatory Conference held in Montréal, the Preparatory Technical Conference held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, as well as the International Donors Conference held in New York.
More details on CIDA’s program in Haiti are available at www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/haiti-e.
Afghanistan
CIDA continued its efforts in Kandahar province and maintained its focus on the implementation of three signature projects. CIDA focused its programming efforts on the following three priorities:
Basic services
CIDA supported the Afghanistan Ministry of Education’s efforts to increase access to quality education for girls and boys nationwide. In 2009 school enrolment rose to approximately 6.2 million children nationally—one third of them girls. There are now more than 10,500 schools across the country. As one of
Canada’s signature projects, 16 schools were constructed or rehabilitated and 27 more schools were under construction in Kandahar.
Another signature project supported the rehabilitation of the Dahla Dam and its irrigation system, which support 80 percent of Kandahar’s population. Over fiscal year 2009–2010 the reparation of the irrigation canals and the removal of 85,000 m3 of silt and other material from the main canal improved the downstream water flow to Kandahar farmers. Also, more than 3,500 ha of land have been improved, improving agricultural output in the area.
CIDA’s programming also supported Afghan efforts to stimulate job growth and income opportunities, and improved access to microfinance. Canada’s benchmark targets were surpassed as more than 5,000 individuals received vocational and skills training, 1,100 people received loans, and 1,100 businesses were registered in Kandahar.
Humanitarian Assistance
As a signature project, CIDA supported the Afghanistan Ministry of Public Health’s efforts to eradicate polio. In 2009, nine national immunization campaigns vaccinated seven million children. Although 38 poliovirus cases were reported in 2009, the northern part of the country remained polio-free. New approaches
were introduced to deal with resistant strains of poliovirus and cross-border transmission. In Kandahar, quality health services were improved through the training of more than 1,200 health workers—exceeding Canada’s target to train 500 health workers by 2011.
Canada’s targets on mine action and risk education were exceeded. In Kandahar, more than 18,000 people received training or assistance on community-led initiatives to mitigate crises.
Democratic Development and National Institutions
CIDA supported efforts aimed at strengthening the government’s capacity for democratic governance contributing to effective, accountable public institutions and electoral processes. The Government of Afghanistan reached a significant completion point through their progress made on key structural reform benchmarks, and
it qualified for debt relief through the International Monetary Fund–World Bank Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative.
Despite pervasive incidences of fraud in the 2009 presidential and provincial council elections, the Afghan Independent Election Commission and Electoral Complaints Commission made advances on the execution of their respective mandates.
More details on Canada’s progress in Afghanistan can be found at www.afghanistan.gc.ca.
| Selected Countries and Regions | ||
| The purpose of CIDA's development assistance programming in selected countries and regions49 is to enhance the capacity of these countries and regions to achieve stability and/or development goals, and to contribute to Canada’s international interests and objectives. | ||
| 2009–2010 Financial Resources | ||
|---|---|---|
| Planned Spending |
Total Authorities |
Actual Spending |
| $391,185,000 | $391,933,543 | $373,576,084 |
| Expected Results |
Performance Indicators |
Performance Status |
| Enhanced capacity of selected countries and regions to achieve stability and/or development goals | Progress toward the Millennium Development Goals Level of democratic governance Existence of an effective government poverty-reduction strategy supported by transparent and accountable systems and a resource framework Alignment of CIDA country strategies and institutional support to the country’s national development plan |
Some progress made (see Section I) Not rated50 Not rated All strategies aligned |
| Contribution to international interests of the Government of Canada | Targeted programming in areas of mutual interest Degree to which other government departments are engaged in country |
Significant progress made Significant progress made |
Stability and Development Goals
Performance Analysis
Despite considerable challenges, including the continuing impact of the global economic downturn, ongoing conflicts and structural challenges, such as poor infrastructure and low institutional capacity, CIDA’s investments performed well. Selected countries and regions enhanced their capacity to achieve stability and
development goals through modest but well-targeted CIDA programming.
Although the scale of CIDA’s investments constrain the Agency’s ability to influence change, significant progress was recorded toward country development goals such as health and education. Some progress was also made in supporting food security and economic growth as well as improving democratic governance.
In health, for example in Nigeria, CIDA polio-vaccination programming cut in half the incidence of wild poliovirus transmission: there were 782 cases in 2008, but just 388 in 2009. Coordinated vaccination campaigns, as well as improvements to the health infrastructure needed for vaccine delivery, also raised the proportion of immunized children in Nigeria’s highest-risk states to more than 90 percent for the first time. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, CIDA programming constructed or rehabilitated 36 health centres in the province of Kinshasa, providing 300,000 people with access to basic health care. In one of the two health districts where CIDA works, vaccination coverage for three deadly childhood diseases for children under the age of five increased from 43 percent in 2003 to 97 percent in 2009, and the number of births assisted by qualified personnel more than doubled to 68 percent. In South Africa, CIDA continued to strengthen non-governmental organizations, providing HIV/AIDS services to communities in the worst-affected areas.
CIDA was instrumental in advancing the achievement of MDG targets in education. In Peru, CIDA programming has led to significant improvement in the quality of education offered in rural areas and in student achievement. In La Libertad, the reading comprehension of Grade 2 students increased from 3.9 percent in 2008 to 16 percent in 2009. In Colombia, CIDA programming assisted children and youth displaced byinternal armed conflict to continue their education. Some 2,500 formerly out-of-school children and youth were enrolled in alternative, flexible-education programs that are preparing them for reintegration into the regular school system.
Over the past year, CIDA worked to increase food security in partner countries and regions. Agency programming made progress in this area in Nigeria through initiatives that led to the adoption of new drought-resistant crop varieties and farming methods that reduced land degradation. Farmers were introduced to new varieties and farming methods that led to significant increases in crop yields and reduced poverty.CIDA continued to support the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance, which last year distributed three new climbing bean varieties to farmers in drought-prone eastern Rwanda. These varieties are disease resistant and have enhanced nutritional value. Overall, the alliance has distributed more than 100 bean varieties to greater than seven million African households, leading to improved nutrition and household incomes.
CIDA programming in private sector development, governance, and democracy provided a base for resumed economic growth. For example, with CIDA support, nine Caribbean countries reformed their tax structures by introducing more efficient value-added tax (VAT) and excise tax systems. As a result, tax revenues that could be used to address government priorities increased by 25–70 percent compared to pre-VAT revenues. In Egypt, CIDA programming worked with 20 centres providing non-financial services to new business start-ups. Over the course of the project, nearly 18,000 microenterprises, and small and medium-size enterprises purchased their services, resulting in increased sales, exports, and enhanced profitability.
In the area of democratic governance, CIDA worked with civil society organizations in Zimbabwe to protect human rights and the rule of law. Agency programming provided legal assistance for 4,000 children and youth who were able to obtain birth certificates and identity documents essential for admittance to school. In China, CIDA helped to protect the labour rights of the country’s 200 million migrant workers, who are among the country’s most vulnerable citizens. Agency programming provided training and supported rights awareness-raising activities that contributed to 89 percent of businesses in pilot counties of Sichuan province in which migrant workers signed formal employment contracts, an increase from 81 percent in 2007. Employment contracts are a key element of labour-rights protection, which migrant workers have traditionally lacked.
In keeping with the principles of aid effectiveness, CIDA aligns its work with the poverty-reduction strategies or national plans of its partner countries. In 2009–2010, CIDA developed new country and regional strategies for all selected countries and regions where it will continue to have a presence. Those strategies analyze recipient-country needs identified in their poverty-reduction strategies or plans, and form the basis for program implementation. CIDA is also actively coordinating with countries’ national governments, other donors, civil society, and other partners. For example, in Colombia, Canada is leading a process of policy dialogue to develop a framework for donor coordination involving the country’s 11 primary bilateral donors.
Canada’s International Interests
Performance Analysis
CIDA contributes to Canada’s international policies by helping selected countries and regional institutions improve their capacity to promote or sustain democracy, freedom, human rights, the rule of law, security, and international trade.
In some countries, crime and violence severely limit economic growth and development. That is the case in Guatemala, where Canada is one of the most important donors to the International Commission Against Impunity. Tasked with dismantling organized crime, the commission investigated 18 high-impact cases, which include an ex-President and other government officials, narcotics trafficking, and corruption rings. The commission has provided hope to Guatemalans that justice is possible in their country.
CIDA’s regional programs contribute to addressing cross-border issues, such as natural-resource management and communicable diseases. For example, the Inter-American Program improved regional and national capacity to deliver health services. CIDA programming with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) supported immunization, emergency pandemic response, and control of communicable diseases. PAHO conducted drills and simulations to fight pandemics, which assisted in the response to the H1N1 virus. In West Africa, CIDA-supported programming resulted in the ratification of the Water Charter of the River Niger Basin by the countries who share the river. The charter constitutes the legal basis for peaceful and consensual management of the river.
Lessons Learned
A valuable lesson highlighted by several CIDA programs was the need to develop complementary initiatives with various state and non-state actors to foster collaboration to deal with complex challenges. The Caribbean Program found this in its work on justice system reform in Jamaica, where a large number of
organizations delivers justice services. In that case, the input and support of both government and non-governmental organizations is critical to getting buy-in and support for reforms from major players and society at large.
A key lesson learned for programming in middle-income countries is the need for governments to ensure social stability in order for economic growth to be sustainable. In the case of Peru, increased economic growth has put pressure on the country's environment and social fabric, and proactive measures are needed in order for this growth to become inclusive and environmentally sustainable.
Explanation of Variance
The variance between planned and actual spending can be explained primarily by funding received during the year for food security programming to support development, research, and innovation in agriculture, including programming with the World Bank and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.
Enhanced Capacity and Effectiveness of Multilateral Institutions and Canadian and International Organizations in Achieving Development Goals
Performance Summary
Most organizations and projects funded through this program activity have met or exceeded CIDA’s requirements for the use of results-based management, and for the integration of considerations related to equality between women and men, and to the environment.
Performance Analysis
Multilateral, international, and Canadian institutions are key partners in poverty reduction due to their effectiveness and reach, as well as the resources and capacities they bring to bear. By working with these partners so that they sustain and improve their effectiveness as development actors, Canada’s contribution to development has become more efficient and effective.
CIDA continued to work closely with its multilateral, international, and Canadian partners to achieve this expected result. The Agency continued to influence its partners in areas where Canada has recognized expertise, and in areas aligning with CIDA’s programming priorities and objectives. In particular, CIDA emphasized improvements related to results-based management, equality between women and men, and environmental sustainability. Through this program activity, CIDA has taken the following steps to contribute to Canada’s agenda for aid effectiveness:
A) With Multilateral and Global Organizations:
Multilateral Organisation Performance Assessment Network
In 2009 the work of four multilateral organizations—the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and UNICEF—in nine developing countries was assessed using this new method.
The "Common Approach" takes a systematic look at the internal effectiveness of multilateral organizations. It examines four dimensions of organizational effectiveness: strategic management, operational management, relationship management, and knowledge management.
CIDA continued to be a leading member of the Multilateral Organisation Performance Assessment Network (MOPAN). CIDA and other donor agencies involved in MOPAN developed a stronger approach for assessing the effectiveness of multilateral organizations. Building on previous surveys, the MOPAN "Common Approach" was launched in July 2009, and reports are now published on the organization’s website.51 In 2009–2010, CIDA expanded its suite of “gender equality institutional assessments” to include the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Population Fund, and Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. These assessments analyze the ability of multilateral partners to plan, achieve, monitor, and report on gender equality results. CIDA uses these assessments to guide its strategic relationships with partners in terms of integrating considerations relating to equality between women and men. Certain partners, including the African Development Bank52 and the World Bank,53 have credited these assessments with influencing how they approach gender equality.
CIDA’s multilateral and global programs complement the Agency’s priorities, including priorities within CIDA’s countries of focus. For example:
- As part of CIDA’s efforts to increase food security and to secure the future of children and youth, CIDA supported the WFP school feeding programs for children in several African countries.54
- In line with Canada’s focus on Africa, CIDA supported UNICEF for the “Catalytic Initiative to Save a Million Lives,” which is a main component of the Africa Health Systems Initiative announced at the 2006 G-8 Summit.55
CIDA has ensured that its multilateral and global programs are fully consistent with the government's commitment to untie all development aid by 2012–2013. CIDA does not restrict where its multilateral and global partners can procure goods and services.
B) With Canadian Organizations:
All new projects submitted by Canadian partners now use a results-based management (RBM) approach, consistent with CIDA, Treasury Board, and international donor community terminology and best practices.
Canadian partners are encouraged to perform a participatory gender audit at the organizational level. These audits provide an analysis of how gender equality issues are addressed in both programming and in internal organizational processes. CIDA places emphasis on the importance of capturing gender equality results at the outcome level, and using gender-disaggregated performance indicators to measure results. Canadian partners are also encouraged to collect gender-disaggregated baseline data.
Canadian partner organizations are encouraged to strengthen their institutional environmental capacity, so that they can appropriately manage activities with environmental implications.
As part of its capacity development of civil society organization (CSO) partners, CIDA designed and delivered a new training program in RBM and gender equality to more than 300 participants with the seven provincial councils for international cooperation. Participant evaluations indicate that partners have a better understanding of how to manage for results and integrate gender equity into projects.
Example of CIDA partners’ results:
As a result of the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund’s program in Tanzania, Mozambique, Bangladesh, and Burundi, 92,000 people had an increased awareness of HIV/AIDS and 10,000 people increased their awareness of maternal and child health issues. Through access to health services, 6,100 women received prenatal and postnatal consultations, leading to safer deliveries.
Following bilateral discussions, 27 recipient countries have signed training agreements based on their education and training needs in targeted sectors. Under the new Canadian Francophonie Scholarship Program approach, more than 100 applications were submitted to Canadian universities. The new educational opportunities are consistent with the major findings and recommendations of the 2006 CIDA commissioned program evaluation.
More than 40 partners had greater than 50 projects and programs in Haiti. For example, International Child Care Canada mitigated pregnancy-related risks by providing comprehensive maternal health care services to 368 rural women that encouraged birthing in medical institutions. Development and Peace trained 10,000 farmers, who experienced a 42-percent increase in sustainable farm production. They also trained and strengthened 40 women’s organizations to fight corruption and environmental degradation. Socioeconomic, peacebuilding, technical, and commercial small business training was offered to 4,000 young women and men, increasing household incomes by 12.5 percent.
In Sudan, CIDA supported Hope International Development Agency to provide clean water, as well as education on health and sanitation practices and water pump maintenance and repair, to eight rural communities of returning refugees and internally displaced persons.
CIDA partners working in Afghanistan have achieved significant results contributing to community social and economic development. For example, the Mennonite Economic Development Associates of Canada (MEDA) is augmenting Women for Women International’s program to enable marginalized entrepreneurs to earn sustainable livelihoods and improve their health and well-being through access to financial services. As well, Women for Women International’s microfinance program has served an additional 2,600 female entrepreneurs in a nine-month period.
In accordance with its Aid Effectiveness Agenda, CIDA has ensured that nearly 40 percent of projects funded by its branch in charge of partnerships with Canadian organizations were in the 20 countries of focus.
In its Volunteer Cooperation Program, CIDA worked with nine volunteer cooperation agencies (VCAs) to sign contribution agreements for a $244.6-million multicountry program.56 This program supports the placement of 8,500 volunteers over five years (2009–2014). Close collaboration between CIDA and the VCAs has produced a common logic model and performance-measurement framework to enable the Agency to better capture and report on results for the program.
What evaluations tell us about civil society organization work
Evaluations of CSOs promoting democratic governance indicate that CIDA support helped improve their accountability and develop their capacity to demonstrate effective and results-based programming in the following areas: anticorruption; municipal governance; rights, freedoms, and the rule of law; democratic economies and healthy communities; and democracy and peace.
Lessons Learned
The number and diversity of CIDA’s partners pose challenges to demonstrating results and to coordinating programming. To address these challenges, CIDA continues to strengthen its approaches to results and reporting. It is also focusing increased
attention on whole-of-agency coordination of relationships with partners.
CIDA is increasing the effectiveness of its cooperation with multilateral and global organizations through three main actions:
- focusing funding on organizations that are aligned with Canadian priorities and able to deliver results effectively;
- helping to strengthen the performance of organizations in areas where Canada has relevant expertise; and
- helping to strengthen the multilateral system to improve results achieved in order to reduce poverty and to support the achievement of goals related to development and humanitarian assistance.
Canadian partnerships are based on evaluation and results. Programs and projects must fulfill the Canadian partnership criteria: have local ownership and sustainable results after the project ends. Partnership decisions need to be based on fairness, transparency, and rules, and must be done in a timely manner.
Strategic Outcome 2: Sustained Support and Informed Action by Canadians in International Development
Canadians are involved in international development through government, non-governmental activities, the private sector, and volunteerism. Canadians make a valuable contribution to international development through their financial and in-kind support, resourcefulness, innovative ideas, and commitment.
Explanation of Variance
The variance between 2009–2010 planned spending and actual spending is mostly due to internal reallocations to meet new Agency and government priorities and to a reorganization in programming.57
Result: Increased awareness, deepened understanding, and greater engagement of Canadians with respect to international development
Performance Summary
Media campaigns carried out by CIDA partners reached millions of Canadians. An estimated 1.9 million children and educators were reached through classroom activities, and more than 140,000 people were reached through lectures, films, workshops, speaking tours, participatory
theatre, training of youth leaders, art and multimedia contests, and leadership development.
Benefits to Canadians
By supporting the development activities of Canadian civil society, CIDA creates opportunities for hundreds of thousands of Canadians to contribute to Canada’s development program, and in the process, helps build relationships and mutual understanding between Canadians and people throughout the developing world.
CIDA’s public-engagement activities provided information to Canadians to build their awareness and deepen their understanding of international development. These activities also encouraged participation and allowed Canadians to engage in international development as volunteers, interns, and election observers.
Canada contributed 414 observers to 20 international election-observation missions in 17 countries, including Bolivia, Colombia, Afghanistan, Mozambique, and Ukraine. Through its work in election observation, Canada has assisted countries in holding democratic elections in line with national and international election standards.
What evaluations tell us about internships
The 2007 IYIP evaluation demonstrated that 93 percent of the interns expressed a high level of satisfaction with the quality of the work experience, and 84 percent were pursuing a career in international development.
CIDA's International Youth Internship Program (IYIP)58 (2009–2014) supports approximately 1,980 interns to gain international work experience in developing countries, and is part of the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy. Based on recommendations from the 2007 program evaluation, IYIP moved to a continuous funding approach, allowing for multiyear funding to reduce the administrative workload and foster a strategic, longer-term approach to programming.
CIDA’s 20th annual International Development Week (IDW),59 was successful, with more than a hundred events organized by CIDA's partners, reaching out to thousands of Canadians. With a focus on youth engagement, the seven provincial councils for international cooperation organized a youth campaign across Canada using traditional and new media. This campaign reached 24,000 Canadians directly and 10 million indirectly. Thanks to a partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, 25 mayors across the country proclaimed International Development Week in their cities, including Toronto and Regina.
In 2009–2010, the Public Engagement Fund (PEF)60 reached approximately 142,000 people through a wide range of activities and millions through media campaigns. PEF partners engaged Canadian audiences in workshops, speaking tours, participatory theatre, training of youth leaders, art and multimedia contests, leadership development, lectures, films, and media campaigns, among other activities.
Using educational resources and activities developed with the support of CIDA’s Global Classroom Initiative,61 an estimated 1.9 million Canadian children and educators were engaged in active exploration of international development issues. Through this initiative, children gained an awareness of their global neighbours and differing world views, as well as an understanding of the global impact of their choices and actions.
CIDA’s Mass Media Initiative (MMI)62 encourages media professionals to raise awareness of international development issues by highlighting Canadian international development contributions and by communicating to Canadians the many challenges in the developing world. In 2009–2010 the MMI financially supported 13 projects consisting of prime-time television and radio programs, documentary films, daily and community newspaper articles, podcasts, and magazine stories. Depending on the medium, the audience reach was estimated using various methods, including BBM Canada63 data tracking, web statistics, publication circulation numbers, and participation at events such as film screenings. Based on an average of figures from the past two years, it is estimated that MMI-supported activities reached Canadians more than 20 million times in 2009–2010.64
Lessons Learned
Measuring results for public engagement activities in order to evaluate the impact of those activities is difficult in the absence of an accepted methodology and the high cost of the tools needed. Stronger performance indicators have been drafted to demonstrate results that are more concrete and modernisation has been ongoing in 2009–2010 to avoid the duplication of programs.
Explanation of Variance
No comparison with 2008–2009 is possible as this is the first time internal services are presented separately.65
Performance Summary
In 2009–2010, in addition to its focus on Excellence in People Management discussed in Section I,66 CIDA’s main priority in terms of internal services was the implementation of CIDA’s Public Service Renewal action plan. Significant progress was achieved in the following four priority areas:
Planning: In late fall, CIDA launched an Agency-wide, fully integrated business planning exercise. This work provided the basis for budget planning and priority setting for 2010-2011. CIDA created a new Resource Planning and Allocation Committee, chaired by the Executive Vice-President. The committee focuses on resource planning, setting priorities, and the strategic management of resources. CIDA now has a senior forum to oversee all resource decisions and the budgetary dimension of all major reporting documents. CIDA developed and communicated to employees its new Strategic Planning Framework, providing a comprehensive snapshot linking CIDA’s mission, mandate, goal statements, strategic outcomes, program activities, and priorities.
Recruitment: CIDA took a prudent approach to resourcing. On one front, CIDA hired several post-secondary candidates, while in parallel, it launched a national recruitment campaign in order to create a pool of entry-level development officers. More than 3,800 applications were received, confirming a strong interest among Canadians to work for CIDA.
Employee Development: CIDA expanded its talent management to include all EX minus 1 employees. For these and all other CIDA staff, the Agency refined its tracking, monitoring, and reporting of learning plans: information sessions were offered on how to validate, monitor, and collect the learning plans and performance appraisals of all employees. CIDA also implemented a new learning strategy to support an enhanced field presence.
CIDA instituted a performance-management regime that includes a mandatory midyear performance review discussion. CIDA conducted the annual EX talent management exercise for all executives, which included the midyear executive performance review exercise and a 360° evaluation for Management Board members. All EX performance management agreements included a mandatory commitment of excellence in people management. CIDA has launched a new “People Manager of the Year” award, which is a direct outcome of CIDA’s excellence in people management initiative.
Enabling Infrastructure: CIDA implemented service standards for classification, staffing, and compensation. The purpose of these service standards is to guide expectations regarding the time and effort required to complete key human resource processes and provide information on service delivery that permits measuring, evaluating, communicating, and improving performance. The service standards are communicated and accessible to all CIDA’s staff through its intranet site.