UNITED NATIONS GIRLS EDUCATION INITIATIVE

The Swedish Agency for International Development Cooperation, Sida, is a government agency under the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Sida's goal is to contribute to making it possible for poor people to improve their living conditions.

As other Swedish government agencies, Sida works independently within the framework laid down by the Swedish Parliament and Government. They specify the budgets, the countries with which Sweden - and thereby Sida - is to work with, and the focus of Swedish international development cooperation.

Sida is a global organisation. Its head office is in Sweden and it has field offices in some 50 countries.

Its total staff (excluding those on leave of absence) numbers 759, of whom 172 work in the field at some 50 embassies and section offices. These figures are taken from Sida's annual report for 2004.

Those working abroad are both staff on secondment from Sweden and local employees. They have in-depth knowledge of the local situation and are responsible for contacts in the partner countries.