Sweden
Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
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 Swedish Aid
Aid for Education
Rights-based
development
"The
overriding goal of poverty reduction is
underpinned by a rights-based approach promoting
democracy and human rights, equality between
women and men, and sustainable development."
1
"Sida
works for democracy and human rights to be
reflected and respected in all bilateral Swedish
development cooperation. Sweden can contribute
through most of its development assistance to
strengthening the condition for peace and
democracy, promoting human rights, supporting
growth with equity, and preventing the insecurity
from arising which leads to armed conflict and
war." 2
back to top
Education defined
as a human right?
"Education
is a basic human right and is necessary for
sustainable social and economic
development." 3
"The right
to education and rights and democracy in and
through education are Sida’s guiding
principles." 4
back to top
Commitment to free
and compulsory education
In reality,
many countries are far from the realization of
the right to basic education free of
charge…Sida’s position is that
non-governmental sources can supplement, but not
replace the state financing of basic
education." 5
"Sida’s
assessment and follow-up activities , as well as
its dialogue and contribution to capacity
development, shall, whenever appropriate, be
guided by the following priority
concerns:…making basic education compulsory
and truly free of charge for all
children…" 6
back to top
Non-discrimination
(race, ethnicity, religion, minority, disability)
"The
overall policy goal of Sida’s cooperation in
the education sector is to enhance the right to
relevant education for all- an education that
empowers the poor and excluded parts of the
population to participate as active and informed
citizens in all aspects of development."
7
"Sida’s
assessment and follow-up activities , as well as
its dialogue and contribution to capacity
development, shall, whenever appropriate, be
guided by the following priority concerns:…
meeting the special needs of children with
disabilities, ill health or other learning
problems through ‘inclusive
education’…removing gender, language or
ethnic barriers, and enhancing bi- or
multilingual learning…enhancing education
for all-children, youth, and adults-through
formal and non-formal education, as well as
informal means…" 8
"Sweden
will also seek to ensure that the human rights of
indigenous peoples, especially discriminated
minorities or other vulnerable groups are given
high visibility in programmes with countries
where this is a serious problem." 9
back to top
Gender
"It is
Sida’s ambition to ensure that a gender
equality perspective permeates all development
cooperation…Equality work at Sida is based
on two methods, one that focuses on strengthening
women and women’s groups, and one that
focuses on women and men and their relations with
each other and their dependence on each
other." 10
"Sweden
works for women and men to have equal rights,
duties and opportunities in all spheres of life.
A democratic social order which respects human
rights provides the best environment for equal
rights between women and men to become a reality.
A precondition for true democracy is that women
and men have equal representation in
decision-making bodies, especially –but not
only—in the sphere of government. Achieving
greater equality between women and men is one of
Sweden’s special priorities." 11
back to top
Trends in Swedish
Aid
- Sweden’s
place among 22 DAC donors12
Net ODA
volume:
-10th in 1999 (US$1.63b)
-7th in 2000 (US$1.81b)
ODA/GNP:
-4th in 1999 (0.70%)
-3rd in 2000 (0.81%)
- Breakdown of
Swedish ODA (1999)
-Bilateral 70%
-Multilateral 30%13
- In 1999, 1.9%
of bilateral aid commitments were tied to
goods and services from Sweden.14
- Sweden’s
ODA/GNP ratio has equaled or exceeded the
United Nations’ target (0.7%) for 25
consecutive years.15
- In its budget
for 2002, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
has proposed an increase in development
assistance of SEK 5-6 billion, or 40 per
cent, between 2000 and 2004. ODA/GNP is
projected to increase to 0.81% by 2004. 16
back to top
Aid for education
- In 1999,
Sweden committed 5.8% of bilateral ODA to
Education, and 2.9% to basic education17
- In 1997/98
Sweden committed 15% of bilateral ODA to
basic social services, compared to the
DAC average of 10%18
back to top
1 Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency. Education for
All: a Human Right and Basic Need. Policy for
Sida’s Development Cooperation in the
Education Sector. April, 2001, p.13.
2 Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency, Department for
Democracy and Social Development. Justice and
Peace: Sida’s Programme for Peace, Democracy
and Human Rights, May 1997, p.7.
3 Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency. Education for
All: a Human Right and Basic Need. Policy for
Sida’s Development Cooperation in the
Education Sector, p.11.
4 Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency. Education for
All: a Human Right and Basic Need. Policy for
Sida’s Development Cooperation in the
Education Sector, p.23.
5 Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency. Education for
All: a Human Right and Basic Need. Policy for
Sida’s Development Cooperation in the
Education Sector, p.24.
6 Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency. Education for
All: a Human Right and Basic Need. Policy for
Sida’s Development Cooperation in the
Education Sector, p.25.
7 Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency. Education for
All: a Human Right and Basic Need. Policy for
Sida’s Development Cooperation in the
Education Sector, p.24.
8 Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency. Education for
All: a Human Right and Basic Need. Policy for
Sida’s Development Cooperation in the
Education Sector, p.25.
9 Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency, Department for
Democracy and Social Development. Justice and
Peace: Sida’s Programme for Peace, Democracy
and Human Rights, p.20.
10 Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency. Sida 2000:
Annual Report, 2000, p.13.
11 Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency, Department for
Democracy and Social Development. Justice and
Peace: Sida’s Programme for Peace, Democracy
and Human Rights, p.7.
12 DAC/OECD. Development
Co-operation Report, 2000.
13 DAC/OECD. Development
Co-operation Report, 2000.
14 DAC/OECD. Development
Co-operation Report, 2000.
15 DAC/OECD. Development
Co-operation Report, 2000.
16 Swedish Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. Budget Bill 2002: Fact Sheet
on the Swedish Government’s Budget Bill for
2002, presented to the Parliament on 20
September, 2001.
17 DAC/OECD. Development
Co-operation Report, 2000.
18 DAC/OECD. Development
Co-operation Report, 2000.
|