Canadian govt makes additional contribution to ADB fund

Singapore, Apr 17 (UNI) The Canadian Government has agreed to make an additional contribution of Can 1.75 million dollars to the Gender and Development Cooperation Fund of the ADB to support continuing efforts to provide better opportunities for women in the Asia Pacific region.

''This contribution will further ADB's efforts to improve the lives of women, especially poor women in the region and to provide them with the resources and tools needed to further improve their livelihoods and standard of living,'' said Werner Liepach, principal director of ADB's Office of Cofinancing Operations.

ADB approved the establishment of the fund in 2003 to help implement its gender and development policy. Through the policy, ADB seeks to promote gender equality and women's empowerment in the Asia Pacific region, where two-thirds of the world's poor live, most of whom are women. Literacy rates for women are low in some parts of the region, maternal mortality rates remain stubbornly high, and practices such as dowry deaths and female infanticide still occur.

Upon its establishment, the fund had an initial contribution of US 4.5 million dollars, including a Can 1.2 million dollars (about US 825,000 dollars) contribution from Canada. The governments of Norway and Denmark were the other contributors to the fund. Last year, an additional contribution of US 1 million dollars was made by Ireland, a new donor.

A progress report shows that since approval of its gender and development policy, ADB has significantly increased activities to improve the plight of women in the region.

However, much work remains to be done.

UNI