Canada launches second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security

From: Global Affairs Canada

News Release

November 1, 2017 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

Canada is focused on equal rights for women and girls around the world, so that we can all live in greater safety and security.

Today, the Government of Canada launches the second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. The action plan will guide Canada’s efforts from 2017 to 2022 to advance the role of women and girls in all stages of peace and to protect their human rights in fragile, conflict or post-conflict countries.

The action plan will support women’s increased representation in peacekeeping and local and national governance, as well as support women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health services in emergency and conflict settings. 

Canada is setting a much higher bar in its second action plan.  Seven federal partners developed their own plans to support a feminist foreign policy in conflict prevention, peacemaking, policing, humanitarian assistance, post-conflict recovery and state-building.  The government developed this action plan in collaboration with civil society and will make its implementation plans public in the hopes that Canadians and experts from around the world can help drive needed progress.

Quotes

“The path to peace needs empowered women. Where women are included in peace processes, peace is more enduring; where women are included in the economy, economic growth is consistently higher; and where women are included in governance, states are more inclusive and more stable. We hope Canada’s second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security inspires our international partners to collaborate with us on this important issue and support women in creating an inclusive, gender-equal and stable world.”

 

- Hon. Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs

“Women, peace and security is a major pillar of Canada’s new Feminist International Assistance Policy. It is a key component of our development efforts abroad. There can be no development without peace, and there can be no lasting peace without involving women.”

- Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau, P.C., M.P., Minister of International Development and La Francophonie

“The integration of women at all levels and in all roles is vital to the promotion of peace and security. This is a key priority that the Canadian Armed Forces is incorporating in all areas of its work – from operational planning to implementation.  Carrying out Canada’s second action plan will ensure we maximize our collective efforts to help the most vulnerable populations during conflicts and crises.”

- Hon. Harjit S. Sajjan, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Defence

“Canadians value gender equality at home and abroad. We know there is a direct connection between gender equality and inclusive, prosperous societies. In Canada, we are applying an intersectional, gender lens to all government decisions to ensure that we continue to support the empowerment of women and girls here at home. And, with Canada’s second Action Plan, we will continue to support women and girls around the world in reaching their full potential by ensuring that international communities can move toward inclusivity and prosperity.”

- Hon. Maryam Monsef, P.C., M.P., Minister of Status of Women

“We need more women to be actively involved in solutions for peace and security, in Canada and abroad. This action plan will help to protect vulnerable women and girls by giving women a greater opportunity to help shape justice-reform initiatives and by ensuring that the impact of these initiatives on women and girls is taken into account.”

- Hon. Jody Wilson-Raybould, P.C., M.P., Q.C., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

“The renewal of the women, peace and security agenda is another step toward achieving gender equality. As part of these efforts, Canada will continue initiatives to increase the proportion of Canadian female police officers deployed to peace operations, especially in senior and other influential roles. Canada will also continue to train foreign female police to increase their potential for recruitment by UN peacekeeping operations.”

- Hon. Ralph Goodale, P.C., M.P., Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

“Each year, Canada welcomes thousands of women through our immigration programs. For some, such as Yazidi women and girls, a new home in Canada brings much-needed protection and security.”

- Hon. Ahmed Hussen, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Quick Facts

  • UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000), along with seven subsequent resolutions, define the international women, peace and security agenda, which calls for states, including Canada, to enhance women and girls’ participation in all stages of peace and security efforts and to ensure their human rights are protected and their needs addressed during conflicts and other emergency situations. These UN resolutions are what led to today’s new Action Plan.

  • Canada’s first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2011 to 2016 was implemented primarily by Global Affairs Canada, National Defence and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  In addition to these partners, Public Safety Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Status of Women Canada and the Department of Justice will participate in Canada’s second National Action Plan (2017 to 2022).

  • Canada’s second National Action Plan builds upon Canada’s achievements under the first action plan, such as the integration of women, peace and security principles into Canadian Armed Forces’ planning and operations and significantly increasing the number of women deployed as police officers in peace operations.

Related Products

Associated Links

Contacts

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter: @CanadaFP
Like us on Facebook: Canada’s foreign policy - Global Affairs Canada

Page details

Date modified: