Throughout August and September, Action Canada in collaboration with CCIC and CanWaCH will host a series of informal webinars on some of the identified gap areas of SRHR. The webinars will bring together experts from international partners and Canadian civil society organizations to discuss integrative programming and best practices for programming in these areas. Sexual and gender-based violence (including child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation and cutting), adolescents and universal health coverage will be key cross-cutting issues in these discussions. Each webinar will include time for questions.
We hope that you can join us for these knowledge building sessions – all are welcome!
Objectives:
- To share expertise and build capacity on the most neglected areas of SRHR;
- To demonstrate best practices and integrative SRHR programming;
- To build partnerships and networks among organizations working on SRHR in different capacities.
Please note that the webinars will take place in English. We welcome participant questions in both English and French.
If you would like to submit a question on a specific theme in advance of the webinar, you may do so here.
August 14, 10am-11am EDT: Safe and legal abortion and post-abortion care
Bill Powell, Senior Medical Scientist, Ipas and Katie Footman, Senior Researcher, Marie Stopes International
August 21, 10am-11am EDT: Comprehensive sexuality education
Mariana Cruz Murueta, Senior Program Officer, IPPF
Western Hemisphere Region
August 28, 10am-11am EDT: Advocacy activities for SRHR
Meghan Doherty, Director of Global Policy & Advocacy,
Action Canada and the Sexual Rights Initiative and
Fernando D'Elio, Akahatá, Argentina
September 4, 10am-11am EDT: Family planning and contraceptives
Pathfinder International/Evidence to Action (E2A) and
Jennifer Pope, Vice President, Family Planning/Reproductive Health, PSI
Background
On June 4, 2019, the Government of Canada announced an annual investment of $1.4b for women’s and children’s health between 2020-2030 with $700m/year earmarked for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) with a focus on the neglected areas. With this new commitment, Canada is positioned to become the single largest country donor for comprehensive SRHR in the world.
More recently, Global Affairs Canada launched the “Health and Rights for Women, Adolescent Girls and Children” call for proposals. With $325 million over five years, selected projects will improve the quality of, access to, and demand for integrated health services and information for women, adolescents, and children at the community, health facility, and health system levels. 50% of the funding will be earmarked for critical gap areas of SRHR including:
- Reproductive health services
- Comprehensive sexuality education
- Family planning and contraceptives
- Safe and legal abortion and post-abortion care
- Sexual and gender-based violence (including child, early and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation and cutting)
- Advocacy activities for SRHR