Following the article published on March 31, 2021 on the Radio-Canada website, we would like to rectify certain interpretations made by the journalist.
- For over 50 years, Development and Peace — Caritas Canada has been proud of its projects and partners, who are essential to the achievement of its mission.
- Development and Peace has not “cut off” its partners. Development and Peace needed to make changes to certain processes related to partnerships (a renewal of our partnership policy, the updating of partnership criteria and the creation of new National Council committees). We have not renewed projects with certain partners because discussions are continuing with them as we move forward.
- The funding available for international projects has been halved over the last three years and several projects have reached the ends of their terms. In addition, COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on the organisation’s revenue.
- A program review is a sound management exercise that allows any organisation to improve its processes, projects and, in our case, partnerships.
- Development and Peace is internally reviewing elements concerning the potential continuation of 22 partnerships; and the 19 expired agreements may be renewed at any time. Development and Peace is finalizing changes to its procedures, criteria, and partnership policy in order to assist in making its decisions. There was never any intention to suspend or cancel these 19 agreements.
- None of our partners have been threatened. All communications with partners have been done with honesty and respect for the partnership, in which we take pride. All exchanges with partners have been honest and sincere. Development and Peace has supported each of them for over the last three years, knowing that they have the preferential option for the poor and social justice at heart.
- For more than 50 years, Development and Peace’s mission has been to work with and for the poor and vulnerable who need us, without any discrimination based on gender, creed or religion.
- Development and Peace has always worked with women and will continue to do so, as they are one of our highest priorities. It is erroneous to characterize the review as being targeted at women. We updated our Gender Policy in 2019; a well-loved recent campaign was May Peace Be With Her; and since 2016, one of our four thematic axes has been Justice for women.
- The Government of Canada has been an important partner of Development and Peace since 1968, historically through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and now through Global Affairs Canada (GAC). Development and Peace has always demonstrated its organizational capacity, the relevance of its work and its positive impact on the most vulnerable populations. Its projects meet the government’s evaluation criteria, particularly with regard to the focus on gender equality.
- Development and Peace supports the Government of Canada in implementing the six pillars of its Feminist International Assistance Policy through several important areas of the mandate to support women’s rights: human dignity; primary health care and psycho-social support; political rights and inclusive governance; social and economic empowerment; adaptation to climate change; combating violence against women; and women’s role in peace and reconciliation.
