SWEDEN is one the four countries-along with Denmark. Norway and the Netherlands that fulfill the UN recommendation that industrialized countries should contribute at least 0. 7% of their GDP to development assistance. The average contribution of the countries within UN is as low as 0.3%.
In 1999 the total government appropriations for Swedish international development co-operation was SEK 14.5 billion Of this sum about 25 per cent were channeled to multilateral development aid programmes such as those administered by the United Nations and the World Bank Other development assistance programmes were related to refugees plus a number of EU programmes. About half was distributed on a bilateral basis by the Swedish International Drvelopmen t Co-operation Agency |Sida).
The strategy for Swedish development cooperation with Bangladesh: The strategy for Swedish development cooperation with Bangladesh aims mainly at poverty reduction, with a particular focus on women’s rights and opportunities. Education, health and rural development are the most important areas. The Swedish assistance amounted in 1999 about 35 million USD as a grant. The Swedish Government is preparing a new Country Strategy for the development cooperation with Bangladesh to be operative horn January 2001.
Education Sector: Wlihin edmation. Sweden supports strategic and Innovative educational interventions with the objective of replicating successful models of quality education. One such effort Is the piloting of post-literacy ami continuing education In non-fnrmal education with the aim to link literacy to skills development and income generation (NFE 2). Another non-formal education project (NFE 3-HTR) is working with hard to reach urban working children, with the aim of trying to create a better future for this very vulnerable group. Swedish support toeducation is made together with the government and other development partners.
Health and Population: The Swedish support to the Health sector is one of the most important areas for the Swedish development cooperation with Bangladesh. Sweden Is part of a donor consortium to support the countrywide HPSP program in Bangladesh The ob|e< live is a decentralised and improved health service to mainly women and children, offering them a clientbased basic health service. The programme is a basis for the structural reforms that are necessary to reach the poor in the rural areas. An immunization programme has contributed ro a reduction in the mortality rate for children under the age of five.
Women and children: An increased equality between men and women is a prerequisite for decreased poverty. In order to achieve this, it is necessary for women to achieve an enforced social, economic and legal position is the society. Many of the programmes that Sida supports are directed to women.
Rural development: SidaS
development cooperation wilhin the rural development se< tor has been conducted through the so called Rural Employment Sector Programme. RESP. during the last 15 years in five thanas in the Faridpur District. The activities have been concentrated to develop the infrastructure through building roads, bridges, culverts och market places and to increase the possibilities for commerce, production and transport. Within the programme efforts have been made to organise poor women and men through micro-credits, education and income generating activities. A new programme with the aim of sup-1 porting local governance and
economic development is under preparation.
Human rights and Democracy: The Swedish programme for human rights and democracy is meant for consolidating respect for human rights and democratic development in Bangladesh. This support is being channelled through national NGOs. The support to Bangladeshi NGO s aims at supporting human rights activities. increasing the awareness of women's rights and the principles established by international conventions, to ensure legal rights and access to justice. advocacy for legal reform and to enforce existing laws to establish social and gender jus-lit e.