82.8 Canadian Policy for Development Assistance
Whereas, The economic interdependence of the nations of the world is becoming increasingly important; and,
Whereas, It is estimated that approximately 800 million people in developing countries live in absolute poverty; and,
Whereas, The International Development Strategy for the 1980’s of the United Nations contains specific goals relating to the elimination of hunger, provision of primary education, health care and integration of women into all sectors of development; and,
Whereas, Government of Canada policy is to gradually increase the percentage of the Gross National Product which is devoted to development assistance; be it,
RESOLVED, That The National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada, in the establishment of development aid policy:
- To give priority to the basic human needs of the world’s poorest peoples; and,
- To give increased support to programs which assist farmers with small land holdings, in order to increase self-reliance in food production, keeping in mind that 40% of agricultural work in some developing countries is done by women; and,
- To give high priority to basic education and skill training of women; and,
- To continue to improve the assessment of the impact of development projects on women and families; and,
- To strengthen the policy of encouraging United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to support the Voluntary Fund for the United Nations Decade for Women and their projects.