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Democratic Republic of Congo

Answer

There are very few reliable statistics available in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on which to base performance indicators. There has not been a census in the past 20 years and the latest social sector statistics data come from a survey undertaken in 2001 but cover only the third of the country under government control at the time.Improving the robustness of the data available on the DRC is an enormous task, and data and indicators relating to street children are one aspect of this. Although not currently doing specific work on performance indicators regarding street children, DfID has been the lead donor (providing both financial and technical assistance) in supporting a participatory poverty analysis in the DRC, which the Congolese Government are using to produce the DRC’s first poverty reduction strategy. This included baseline qualitative and quantitative data on how the poor people of the DRC—men, women and children—see their lives and how they want them to change. It includes data on the lives of vulnerable children, including street children, and could be used in the future to measure progress in these areas.DIfD’s programme in the DRC (£55 million in 2005–06) is currently focused on consolidating peace and basic security; re-establishing the rule of law; ensuring free and fair elections; infrastructure rehabilitation; promoting a responsible media sector; and emergency humanitarian assistance and other basic service delivery.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

2501; 676 c113-4WA

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Children Development aid Standards Sleeping rough Democratic Republic of the Congo

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk