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Australia
Australian
International Development Agency (AusAID)
Rights-based
development
Education defined as a human
right?
Commitment to free and compulsory
education
Non-discrimination (race, ethnicity,
religion, minority, disability)
Gender
Trends in Australian Aid
Aid for Education
Rights-based
development
"Australia’s commitment to
human rights is an important aspect of the development assistance
program. AusAID addresses human rights issues in the context of
its governance policy because effective governance is increasingly
recognised as a crucial factor in the promotion of both sustainable
development and human rights. We also provide targeted human rights
activities."1
"The Government has determined that
the objective of the Australian overseas aid program will be to
advance Australia's national interest by assisting developing countries
to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development." 2
"Respect for and promotion of civil
and political rights are also vital elements of governance and sustainable
development. Respect for human rights and participatory principles
is generally a force for stability. It moderates political behaviour
and helps ensure government accountability and effectiveness." 3
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Education defined as a human right?
"As well as being a basic human right,
education for women and girls is fundamental to ensuring gender
equality, sustainable development, healthy communities, lower population
growth rates, and higher economic productivity."4
"Equal access to quality primary education
is a fundamental human right. Primary education focuses on the achievement
of literacy and numeracy and also lays the foundation for further
education." 5
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Commitment to free and compulsory education
"Australia will assist with efforts
towards the achievement of universal access to basic education,
improvements in the quality of basic education and the equitable
distribution of those quality improvements." 6
"Recognizing that education and training
are fundamental to the development process, Australia's aid program
aims to assist developing countries to meet the educational needs
of their people…Australia will assist with efforts toward the achievement
of universal access to basic education, improvements in the quality
of basic education and the equitable distribution of those quality
improvements." 7
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Non-discrimination (race, ethnicity, religion,
minority, disability)
"The aid program aims to increase access
to, and improve the quality and relevance of, education and training
for the most vulnerable in the developing countries of the Asia-Pacific
region. Basic education (particularly focusing on disadvantaged
groups) and technical and vocational education are priorities."
8
"Equity issues underlie a number of
AusAID projects to expand access. These are addressing the needs
of particular groups of children-for example girls, ethnic minorities,
children from poor families, rural children, working children and
children with special needs-who are especially vulnerable." 9
"Australia's aid program aims to promote…the
human rights of women and assist efforts to eliminate discrimination
against women…" 10
"Australia's aid program aims to…
promote equity in the distribution of education opportunities and
in resource allocation, including equal opportunities for disadvantaged
groups, particularly women and girls and rural communities." 11
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Gender
"Australia's aid program aims to promote
equal opportunities for women and men as participants and beneficiaries
of development…The objectives of the gender policy reflect the need
for an approach that is both practical and forward looking. They
are: To improve women's access to education and health care; To
improve women's access to economic resources; To promote women's
participation and leadership in decision making at all levels; To
promote the human rights of women and assist efforts to eliminate
discrimination against women; To incorporate a gender perspective
in Australia's aid activities." 12
" Gender equality is an integral part
of universal human rights and an important development goal in itself."
13
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Trends in Australian Aid
- Australia’s place among 22 DAC donors
14
Net ODA volume:
-13th in 1999 (US$0.98b)
-13th in 2000 (US$0.99b)
ODA/GNP:
-17th in 1999 (0.26%)
-14th in 2000 (0.27%)
- In 1999, 13.3% of bilateral aid
commitments were tied to goods and services from Australia.16
- The Australian government anticipates
Official Development Assistance expenditure to total $1.725 billion
(AUD) in 2001-02, representing an increase of $125 million over
2000-01 and an increase of more than 6 percent in real terms.
Australia’s ODA/GNP ratio for 2001-02 is estimated to be 0.25
percent.17
- According to AusAID, over 80% of
aid programs are delivered by Australians, using Australian expertise,
experience and natural resources to tackle poverty. 18
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Aid for Education
- In 1999, Australia committed 15.7%
of bilateral ODA to Education, and 3.9% to basic education.19
- In 1997/98 Australia committed 14%
of bilateral ODA to basic social services. 20
- AusAID lists health, education,
infrastructure, rural development and governance as the five priority
sectors for Australia’s aid program.21
- AusAID lists five areas within the
education sector as priorities for assistance under the aid program:
basic education, vocational and technical education, higher education,
institutional strengthening and distance education."22
- "Since 1996, basic education
has increased substantially as a share of total education aid,
rising from 6 percent or around $15 million to 23 percent or around
$70 million."23
- According to the Minister for Education,
Training and Youth Affairs, a record number of overseas students
studied in Australia in 2000; 153,372 international students enrolled
in Australia, generating some $3.7 billion (Aus) income for the
Australian economy. A further 34,905 enrolled with Australian
providers operating overseas. The total of 188,277 was some 16%
higher than in 1999. 24
- AusAID’s Gender and Education Group
reported that expenditure for "education and training"
accounted for approximately 17 percent (AUD$246) of overseas aid
in 1998/99, representing the largest sectoral allocation of Overseas
Development Assistance (ODA). Projected sectoral allocations for
2001-02 indicated an increase, with aid to education expected
to total 18 percent of aid.25
- According to AusAID’s annual report
2000-2001, allocations to the education sector totalled 16% of
total aid flows. 26
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1 Australian Agency for International Development. Annual
Report 2000-2001, p.6.
2 Australian Agency for International Development. Better
Aid for a Better Future. The Hon. Alexander Downer MP, Minister
for Foreign Affairs, Seventh Annual Report to Parliament on Australia's
Development Cooperation Program and The Government's Response to
the Committee of Review of Australia's Overseas Aid Program. 18
November, 1997, p.3.
3 Australian Agency for International Development. Better
Aid for a Better Future, p.6.
4 Australian Agency for International Development. Equal
Partners: Gender Awareness and Australian Development Cooperation,
Education, Training and Literacy. Text at: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/publications/pubout.cfm?Id=7576_9507_9097_9710_9822&Type=PubKAE
5 Australian Agency for International Development. Education
and Training in Australia's Aid Program. Policy Statement by the
Hon. Alexander Downer MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs August, 1996
p.8. Text at: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/keyaid/education.cfm
6 Australian Agency for International Development. Education
and Training in Australia's Aid Program, p. 8.
7 Australian Agency for International Development. Education
and Training in Australia's Aid Program, pp.4, 8.
8 Australian Agency for International Development. Annual
Report 2000-2001, p.20.
9 Australian Agency for International Development. Gender
and Education Group. AusAID's Education Sector Interventions. July,
1999, p.7. Text at: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/keyaid/education.cfm
10 Australian Agency for International Development. Equal
Partners: Gender Awareness and Australian Development Cooperation,
Australia's Gender and Development Policy.
11 Australian Agency for International Development. Education
and Training in Australia's Aid Program, p.4.
12 Australian Agency for International Development. Gender
and Development, Australia's Aid Commitment. Policy Statement announced
by The Hon. Alexander Downer MP, the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
March, 1997, p.4.
13 Australian Agency for International Development. Guide
to Gender and Development, p.3. Text at: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/keyaid/gender.cfm
14 DAC/OECD. Development Co-operation Report, 2000
15 DAC/OECD. Development Co-operation Report, 2000
16 DAC/OECD. Development Co-operation Report, 2000
17 Australian Agency for International Development. Australia's
Overseas Aid Program 2001-02. Statement by the Hon. Alexander Downer
MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs, 22 May, 2001, p.vii. Text at http://www.ausaid.gov.au/budget01/default.cfm
18 Australian Agency for International Development. What is
Australia's Overseas Aid Program? Text at: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/makediff/whatis.cfm
19 DAC/OECD. Development Co-operation Report, 2000
20 DAC/OECD. Development Co-operation Report, 2000
21 Australian Agency for International Development. Better
Aid for a Better Future, p.4.
22 Australian Agency for International Development, Gender
and Education Group. AusAID's Education Sector Interventions, p.1.
23 Australian Agency for International Development. Australia's
Overseas Aid Program 2001-02, p.10.
24 Minister for Education, Training, and Youth Affairs. International
Student Numbers Reach Record High in 2000. 3 September, 2001. Text
at: http://www.dest.gov.au/archive/ministers/kemp/sept01/k209_030901.htm
25 Australian Agency for International Development, Gender
and Education Group. AusAID's Education Sector Interventions. p.1.
26 Australian Agency for International Development. Annual
Report 2000-2001, p.18.
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