Dispatches
Print Send by mailNorway focuses on UNFPA’s mandate, promises to increase ODA to 1 per cent
Oslo — Norway has announced that the country will increase its Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the first time to 1per cent of Gross National Income (GNI). The country has also updated its Africa policy, identifying women and gender equality as one of the five main priorities.
In its “Platform for an integrated Africa policy”Norway further promises “to take special responsibility for the health-related MDGs, particularly MDG 4 on reducing child mortality and MDG 5 on improving maternal health.”
Previously, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, Norad, published an evaluation report on Norwegian HIV/AIDS responses . The report states that for example in Ethiopia, UNFPA-supported interventions developed the capacity of 12 local NGOs to manage sexual reproductive health and HIV programmes.
According to the report, this capacity development led to successful interventions including the provision of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) for HIV to more than 21,000 people, as well as the empowerment of 800 peer educators and 426 home-based care providers. In addition, over 300,000 people received education on HIV and 112 well-functioning Anti AIDS Clubs and 40 youth information centers were established.
