Question Period Note: Canada's development assistance program in Myanmar.

Canada's Bilateral Development Assistance Program in Myanmar

• In line with its Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada's assistance to Myanmar aims to improve the human dignity, well-being, and rights for vulnerable and marginalized people, especially women and girls.
• Canada's response is aligned to the Rohingya Strategy and focuses on environmentally sustainable economic empowerment, especially for women, federalism, inclusive governance, increasing capacity for evidence-based policy-making and building resilience to climate change.
• All of Canada funding to Myanmar supports CSOs. To respond to the crisis in Rakhine State, Canada supports vulnerable communities through local CSOs incl. women's rights organizations to build community resilience, improve intercommunal harmony and promote inclusive governance.

Since the launch of its bilateral international assistance program in 2013, Canada has provided more than $136 million in assistance to Myanmar through our various funding channels. Canada and Myanmar signed a Memorandum of Understanding in February 2017 to strengthen effective development cooperation. Canada's international assistance in Myanmar aims to improve human dignity, well-being, and rights for all vulnerable and marginalized people, particularly women and girls. It aims to contribute to strengthened respect for human rights, inclusion and peace and security.

Ongoing bilateral development projects help to empower women economically, promote inclusive governance, increase the understanding federalism, build resilience to climate change, and strengthen evidence for development and policy-making.

Following the release of the final report of the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to Myanmar, on May 23, 2018, Canada announced a three-year comprehensive Strategy to Respond to the Rohingya Crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh that includes $300 million of international assistance to address humanitarian, development, and peace and stabilization needs - in addition to its diplomatic engagement.

As part of Canada's response, the bilateral development program focusses on building community resilience, improving intercommunal harmony and promoting inclusive governance. It supports efforts to counter sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), as well as strengthen women's voices and leadership and build inclusive networks through support for local civil society organizations. The program also supports women's and girls' meaningful participation in public decision-making and democratic processes, including in efforts to decentralize governance.

Myanmar has also benefitted from funding through other channels such as Global Affairs Canada's multilateral, regional and partnership channels, Peace and Stabilization Operations Program (PSOPs), as well as from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) managed by the Canadian Embassy in Yangon.

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