.

DAISI’s development activities are strategically focussed on the improvement of health care in the South-Pacific. DAISI is committed to ensuring that funds (including Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) funds and other programme resources) are used only for the purpose of development and not allocated for the purpose of religious, political or welfare activities. DAISI is also committed to the truthful portrayal in all of its communication of what donated money is spent on development versus no development projects.

.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

DAISI recognises that lasting change is best met through long term integrated and sustainable development programs. 

All DAISI development funds raised are therefore used in the delivery of development programs in the South Pacific aimed at improving health care services.

DAISI’s programs may include the donation of medical supplies and surgical equipment. This occurs within a broader health care development program in the South Pacific, with these supplies and equipment necessary to implement these programmes, and therefore such donations of supplies and equipment should not be viewed as ‘welfare’, or “charitable donations”, but rather part and parcel of DAISI’s development program.

POLICY

  1. Development activities are those undertaken in order to reduce poverty (including inaccessible health care services) and address global justice issues via direct engagement through community projects, emergency management, community education, advocacy, volunteer sending, provision of technical and professional services and resources, environmental protection and restoration, and promotion and protection of human rights.
  2. Non-development activities include those undertaken for the purpose of religious witness, welfare objectives or partisan political objectives.
  3. DAISI complies with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) guidelines in relation to the claiming of deductabilities, fundraising guidelines and donors obligations regarding acceptance and non-acceptable of funds.
  4. DAISI complies with the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) guidelines in relation to the claiming of Recognised Development Expenditure (RDE) calculations & deductabilities.
  5. DAISI works in partnership with many organisations including welfare and faith based organisations, government and non-government organisations in the delivery of its services.
  6. DAISI will not use donated money to financially support the delivery of political, religious or welfare activities, either directly or via its partners. 
  7. DAISI staff must perform a partner capacity assessment prior to entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with any partner in the South Pacific and complete the relevant section to confirm that the partner does not use donated money intended for development projects for the use in evangelistic and/or political activities.
  8. DAISI must be clear in its reporting obligations and communication separating development from non-development activities. Any money spent on welfare, religious or political activities, represents non-development activities, and should be clearly states as such in all reports and communications. .
  9. Monitoring processes for South-Pacific development projects must include an assessment to ensure that no DAISI development resources have been used, or are planned to be used, for welfare, political or religious activities.
  10. If reports that DAISI development funds are being utilised for welfare, political or religious activities by partner organisations then DAISI management must immediately investigate allegations and act, if necessary, to suspend the partnership.
  11. DAISI is committed to the all reporting data being disaggregated by gender to help identify gender inequality and respond accordingly.