Development Cooperation
DSW (Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung) has always maintained a strong focus on the promotion of development cooperation with a special emphasis on family planning and population dynamics. The advancement of sexual and reproductive health in developing countries, the eradication of HIV/ AIDS and a commitment against poverty-related diseases are well integrated in our work.
Adolescents in developing countries are the most at risk of sexual and reproductive harm. Our successful Youth-to-Youth initiative therefore emphasises empowerment and Sexual and Reproductive Health education. Girls and young women are another key target group in our development projects.
We work to improve development cooperation through our advocacy work in Berlin and Brussels, and through the experience and presence of our country offices in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. We support a strong, cooperative network of government, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and international organisations who are jointly working towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), to provide solutions for improved sexual and reproductive health in developing countries.
DSW Berlin: Committed to Enhanced Development Co-operation
DSW's overarching strategic goal is to fight poverty in developing countries. We are committed to this, and for this reason we are maintaining a constant exchange with political decision-makers. For example, we are calling for the German contribution to the fighting of poverty to be scaled up and the development budget increased. We regularly remind the government to keep its promise, which has been repeatedly confirmed by the government itself, to spend 0.7 per cent of gross national income on development cooperation by 2015.
Fostering a strong and efficient commitment
DSW supports the introduction of innovative financial instruments, such as the financial transaction tax, to increase funding for development cooperation. At the same time, we are committed to more efficient spending of German ODA and an improvement of development policy instruments. Under the heading of Aid Effectiveness, we are therefore maintaining an ongoing dialogue with the German government. In order to ensure the effectiveness of development aid, DSW calls for more transparency in the spending of funds and increased accountability of the government regarding the effectiveness of the German contribution to development co-operation.
Together for the Millennium Development Goals
DSW is also working to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 and takes part in the debates on the global development policy framework, also in dialogue with interna¬tional part¬ners.
We participate in consultations and strategic meetings in the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in order to put forward our view as a civil society organization. We do this in particular as a committed member organization of the umbrella organization of non-governmental development organizations in Germany (VENRO). Furthermore, we support the government with our expertise in the preparation of government negotiations with our East African partner countries Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania. At international level, we are actively engaged at G8 summits and high-level UN conferences related to development policies.
DSW supports the "Your Voice Against Poverty" campaign, which also advocates a stronger German commitment in development politics. Furthermore, we use our own contacts to contribute to the budgeting process in the German Parliament.
In close consultation with our East African country offices and based on the experiences from our own development projects we always keep track of local needs.
