This month the Government of Catalonia approved its Annual Cooperation Plan for Development, the Government’s main instrument to implement specific actions in line with the commitments set out in the 2015-2018 Master Plan for Development Cooperation which was passed by the Catalan Parliament on April 22, 2015. The document aims to further uphold, protect and guarantee women’s rights as well the collective human rights of peoples which the Government considers to be a fundamental part of Catalan cooperation. The Plan is also the first of its kind to incorporate the Strategic Focus on Gender and Human Rights (SFoHR), an effort by the Executive to re-assess the reality of the global situation and integrate substantial changes the Government deems necessary for the promotion of gender and human rights.
The Strategic Focus on Gender and Human Rights (SFoHR) aims to guarantee the human rights of individuals, groups and peoples, with special attention paid to those most vulnerable while prioritizing women suffering from structural discrimination. The Plan’s Strategic Focus also aims to shift the unequal balance of power across areas, in both public and private spheres, to reduce inequalities, generate change and empower women so they can exercise their rights freely and autonomously.
Projected actions in the 2015 Annual Cooperation Plan for Development:
- Public call for Catalan cooperation grants: With a total budgetary allocation of €3.4m, specific activities and training sessions have been planned for professionals and cooperation agencies in order to incorporate and correctly implement the Plans new focus
- Improve coordination and cohesion of public policies to enhance development, especially in countries in partnership with Catalan cooperation
- Education for Development: Promote Education for Development, a plan which includes education in research, communication, political incidence, transparency, accountability and management of information to contribute to a more responsible and committed society
In accordance with the 2015-2018 Master Plan, the document establishes 13 countries of priority for Catalan cooperation: Bolivia, Columbia, El Salvador, Gambia, Guatemala, Morocco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Palestine, Western Sahara, Senegal and Tunisia.
Finally, with regards to budgetary allocation, the Government of Catalonia is expected to allocate €16,248,645 in Official Development Assistance (ODA) for 2015, a 14% increase on the previous year.
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