SAP Canada’s Strategic Plan: 2003-2008
South Asia Partnership Canada has a strategic plan for 2003-2008 to advance its goal of linking organisations, facilitating discussion and engaging Canadians on issues of development in South Asia.
South Asia Partnership Canada aims to increase and improve Canada’s effective engagement in attaining sustainable human development and poverty eradication in South Asia. It does so by strengthening the capacity and interaction of its members and constituency of organizations in Canada, its partners in South Asia. SAP Canada is a catalyst for action grounded in knowledge and experience of its partners in South Asia.
The SAP network has evolved over the past 20 years from a funding facility for community-based organizations (a new concept at the time) to an international organization that encompasses longer-term capacity development of community-based organizations (CBOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in South Asia, networking and cooperation among NGOs, policy dialogue and advocacy, and regional/international programming on key development issues. The Canadian International Development Agency, through its financial support, has been a critical enabler of this evolution.
SAP Canada has completed its strategic plan for the next five years. The goal of the plan is to build an informed and cooperative community in Canada and South Asia that contributes to the eradication of poverty in the region. SAP Canada has chosen three themes, selected key approaches, identified its constituency and partners, and defined its objectives and interventions.
The strategic planning activity was enriched by a process of consultation with members and constituents in Canada and partners and other civil society organizations (CSOs) in South Asia. Representatives of these many and varied organizations confirmed major directions for SAP Canada and added precision and depth to the thinking on issues and planning of activities.
The experience of international development over the past 50 years has produced, and requires, an immense range of organizations and institutions to contribute to its complex and challenging agenda. Within this diverse “community” are many specializations, one of which is the need for learning and support to others. SAP Canada is one such “facilitator”, to help the experience and energies of other civil society actors to converge on key issues and actions in the region of the world that still holds, sadly, the greatest number of impoverished people.
SAP Canada sees its results primarily in the change, progress, and accomplishments of other organizations. These results will be realized in CSO advancement and cooperation on governance, peace, livelihood, and gender equality.