2023 Reports 1 to 4 of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of Canada—Global Affairs Canada is unable to show the value of Canada’s international assistance in support of gender equality

2023 Reports 1 to 4 of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of CanadaGlobal Affairs Canada is unable to show the value of Canada’s international assistance in support of gender equality

Ottawa, 27 March 2023—A report from Auditor General Karen Hogan tabled today in the House of Commons concludes that Global Affairs Canada was unable to show how its implementation of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy had contributed to improving gender equality in low- and middle-income countries. The department is unable to use the information contained in its files to report on the value derived from the approximately $3.5 billion spent yearly on bilateral development assistance projects or to provide Parliament and Canadians with a complete picture of the outcomes achieved for women and girls.

The audit found significant weaknesses in the department’s information management practices, including not having a standardized approach for storing and managing project information. This resulted in incomplete or missing project files, making it impossible for the department to accurately track and report the overall outcomes of funded projects against the goals stated in the policy. In addition, annual reports to Parliament on international assistance captured results for about half of funded projects and did not reflect long-term outcomes.

The audit also found that Global Affairs Canada did not meet 2 of its 3 spending commitments under the Feminist International Assistance Policy. The department fell short on funding projects that directly supported the empowerment of women and girls or that were located in sub‑Saharan Africa, where the benefit in terms of reducing poverty and advancing gender equality is typically higher.

“It is imperative that Global Affairs Canada act immediately to improve its information management practices and reporting on results to show parliamentarians and Canadians the value of Canada’s bilateral international assistance to support women and girls in low- and middle-income countries,” said Ms. Hogan.

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The 2023 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada, Report 4—International Assistance in Support of Gender Equality—Global Affairs Canada, is available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada website.

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