Now more than ever, Canada must deliver on its promises to women and girls.
COVID-19 is threatening global progress on sexual and reproductive health, human rights, and intensifying deeply entrenched inequalities within and among countries.1 In recent years, Canada has boldly stepped up in defence of SRHR and gender equality more broadly.
Canada must continue to strengthen its leadership in this area and deliver on promises made through the Feminist International Assistance Policy, the $700M dedicated annually for SRHR until 2030, and support the creation of a Global Alliance for Sustainable Feminist Movements.
WHAT CANADA CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO SUSTAIN ITS LEADERSHIP ON GLOBAL SRHR:
- Take global leadership on responding to the devastating impact of COVID-19 on SRHR.
- Commit to and resource the development of a Canadian global sexual and reproductive rights policy to ensure policy coherence and sustainability of Canada’s commitment to SRHR within its development assistance and foreign policy.
- Meet the international commitment of 0.7% gross national income to official development assistance, including funds specifically earmarked for the neglected areas of SRHR.
- Increase financial and political support to the United Nations international human rights accountability mechanisms.
- Adopt feminist principles to guide all funding-related decisions, ensuring that initiatives address power and structural barriers to gender equality.
- Directly invest in feminist, women’s rights, and youth organizations and movements in the Global South working on SRHR, particularly those engaging in legal and policy advocacy.