Canada's Development Efforts in Afghansitan
Our Current Focus (2011-2014)
Canada's international development assistance to Afghanistan focuses on education, maternal and child health, human rights, and humanitarian assistance, with an emphasis on improving the lives of women and girls. Our commitments builds on Canada's significant experience and investments in Afghanistan to date, support Afghan-developed priorities, and sustain progress in key areas essential to Afghanistan's future.
Results
Canada has made a tangible difference in Afghanistan and the people of Afghanistan are better off today because of Canadians' investments. Canada has worked with our partners to ensure that every dollar is spent in the best interests of Afghan citizens, and with the efficiency and accountability that Canadian taxpayers expect.
With Canada’s assistance
- Today in Afghanistan over 7.7 million Afghan children (39% girls) are enrolled in formal and community-based schools. This is a far cry from the less than one million boys—and only boys—enrolled in formal schools in 2001.
- Over 6,300 community-based schools across Afghanistan have provided education to approximately 184,000 students, 80% of whom are girls.
- Over 9,000 health professionals including doctors, nurses, midwives and community health workers have been trained.
- The maternal mortality ratio has been drastically reduced to 460 per 100,000 live births in 2010 from 710 in 2005.
- Through ongoing vaccination campaigns, over 8 million children are being vaccinated against polio. Since 2011, there has been a significant decrease in the number of confirmed polio cases (in 2011, there were 80 cases, 14 in 2013 and to date three in 2014)
The Future
Canada will continue to focus on areas where we demonstrated leadership, experience and where there is a strong basis for continued development assistance and results, namely in education, health, capacity building for disaster risk reduction and advancing the rights and empowerment of women and girls.
Canada has committed $227 million (2014-2017) in development assistance to Afghanistan.
