Government of Canada
How we are working so SheDecides
Canada supports the goal of ensuring that women and girls in all their diversity can decide what to do with their bodies, their lives and their futures — without question. Guided by our Feminist International Assistance Policy, we adopt a comprehensive approach to helping women and girls around the world thrive. Our approach focusses on improving the health and rights of women and children, including through access to comprehensive SRHR; investing in women’s rights organisations and feminist movements; and supporting quality education and skills training for girls and women in developing countries, including in fragile, crisis and conflict-affected situations.
Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP)
Canada firmly believes that supporting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is the most effective way to build a more peaceful, more inclusive and more prosperous world and thus eradicate poverty. The FIAP prioritises the investments, partnerships and advocacy efforts that have the greatest potential to close gender gaps, eliminate barriers to gender equality and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It recognises that inequalities exist along intersectional lines and supports the economic, political and social empowerment of women and girls, and makes gender equality a priority, for the benefit of all people. Achieving gender equality around the world could increase global gross domestic product (GDP) by $12 trillion in a single decade.
Read MoreCanada’s 10-Year Commitment to Global Health and Rights
As part of its Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada launched a ten-year commitment to advance the health and rights of women and girls around the world (2020-2030). Canada is increasing its global health funding to an average of $1.4 billion each year, of which $700 million is dedicated to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Through this Commitment, Canada’s funding supports, the strengthening of health systems including reproductive health services with a focus on the neglected areas of SRHR, namely comprehensive sexuality education; family planning and contraceptives; safe abortion and post-abortion care; SRHR advocacy; and, preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence. Canada collaborates closely with Ministries of Health in developing countries and with other partners and donors to strengthen health systems and increase aid effectiveness.
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Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) Program
As part of our Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada’s Women’s Voice and Leadership Program aims to meet the needs of local women's rights organisations around the world. Canada’s support helps them advance gender equality and empower women and girls in all their diversity. It promotes and protects their human rights. Projects that are implemented by local women’s rights organisations, or in direct partnership with them, are highly encouraged.
Read MoreSome of the projects Canada is supporting:
