Backgrounder - Development and Humanitarian Assistance

Backgrounder

Canadian development assistance in Mali focuses on key areas: improving basic social services, such as sexual and reproductive health and basic education; promoting economic growth that works for everyone through agriculture and irrigation; and promoting gender equality and inclusive governance through strengthening government institutions.

Since 2000, Canada has provided nearly $1.5 billion in international assistance to Mali. In 2016 to 2017, Canada’s international assistance to Mali reached $125.5 million, placing Canada amongst the top  bilateral donors. These investments have made it possible to achieve significant results in the fight against poverty and improving the living conditions of Malians.

Example: Health, including sexual and reproductive health and rights

Canadian development investments have helped improve basic services at the community level and increase women’s participation in the management of the health system. Canada contributes to strengthening the health-care system and improving access to reproductive, maternal and child health care. These investments helped improve basic community services and increase women’s participation in the health sector. Canadian assistance has contributed to improving the rate of births attended by skilled health personnel, from 26% in 2012 to 32% in 2017. Canada also contributed to increasing the national contraceptive prevalence rate from 12% in 2012 to 20% in 2017.

Example: Education

Canada’s development program contributes to the improvement of the education system and the quality of teaching at the elementary-school level, including through the implementation of a textbook repair system for Malian schools. Canada’s support between 2012 and 2017 helped increase enrollment in elementary schools by 288,864 students, 46.6% of whom were girls. More than 1.7 million textbooks have been repaired since 2009, accounting for savings of approximately $14 million for the government of Mali compared with buying new textbooks.

Humanitarian Assistance

Canada also provides humanitarian funding to experienced humanitarian partners in Mali based on needs and as appropriate. Canada’s humanitarian funding supports a gender-responsive, multi-sectoral response to the specific humanitarian needs of conflict- and drought-affected women, girls, men and boys in Mali. Our assistance is helping to provide food, treatment for acute malnutrition, drinking water, hygiene, sanitation, health services (including sexual and reproductive health services), protection (including support to survivors of sexual violence), and support to livelihoods for vulnerable populations. Since 2012, Canada has allocated more than $60 million in humanitarian assistance to Mali to respond to the needs of conflict- and drought-affected populations.

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