Canada announces support for sexual and reproductive health and rights

News Release

March 8, 2017 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

As part of its strong commitment to gender equality and a feminist lens, Canada is taking a leadership role by championing the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls globally.

To mark International Women’s Day, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie—along with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—today announced an investment of $650 million over three years in funding for sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Canada will promote gender equality and empower women and girls around the world by addressing the gaps in sexual and reproductive health and rights, with the help of experienced global, local and Canadian partners.

Canada’s support will focus specifically on providing comprehensive sexuality education, strengthening reproductive health services, and investing in family planning and contraceptives. Programs aided by this announcement will help prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence, including child early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation and cutting, and support the right to choose safe and legal abortion, as well as access to post-abortion care.

Canada is also pleased to announce that it will join the Family Planning 2020 commitment and the Ouagadougou Partnership. These initiatives will enable 120 million more women and girls to use contraceptives by 2020 and accelerate progress in the use of family planning services in targeted countries.

Quotes

“Today’s announcement demonstrates Canada’s leadership in empowering women and girls and promoting gender equality around the world. This investment will support millions of women and girls to have the opportunity to be leaders in their communities and lead healthy and productive lives.”

- Rt. Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

“Canada is committed to leading global action in support of sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and girls. Women's rights begin with the right for all women and adolescents to be in control of their bodies and make their own decisions."

- Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie

Quick Facts

  • Approximately 225 million women and girls around the world have unmet needs for modern contraception. Complications in pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death for adolescent girls between the ages of 15 and 19 in developing countries.

  • Maternal mortality is unacceptably high. Every day, about 830 women die from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth.

  • Every year, an estimated 22 million women and girls worldwide put their lives at risk by undergoing unsafe abortions.

Associated Links

Contacts

Bernard Boutin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie
343-203-5977
bernard.boutin@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
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