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.

“In the face of a growing backlash against women’s rights, it is more important than ever that we support the bodily autonomy of women and girls. Canada is ramping up efforts in neglected, under-funded and over-politicized areas of SRHR that evidence shows will save lives, support the empowerment of diverse groups of women and girls, and contribute to gender equality. In this vein, Canada is proudly prioritizing family planning, safe abortion and post-abortion care, comprehensive sexuality education, advocacy for SRHR and preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence, with a focus on Africa.”

- Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada

• June 2023 marks four years since Prime Minister Trudeau announced a ten-year commitment (2021-2030) to increase Canada’s funding to reach an average of $1.4 billion annually by 2023 to improve the health and rights of women and girls, half of which is dedicated to SRHR. Canada is on track to hit its target of investing $700 million in comprehensive SRHR this fiscal year.

• The Guttmacher Institute has shown that Canada’s historic commitment to SRHR is already making a big impact. In 2020-2021 alone, Canada’s investments in family planning enabled an estimated 2.5 million couples to have access to modern contraceptive methods. These investments, in turn, have prevented an estimated 1.1 million unintended pregnancies and saved approximately 1,800 lives.

• Supporting comprehensive SRHR means enabling all individuals to have the rights, knowledge, and means to make decisions and access services concerning their reproductive lives and sexuality, free from criminalization, coercion, discrimination and violence.

• The 2018 Guttmacher-Lancet Commission Report “Accelerate Progress – SRHR for all” highlighted an important unfinished agenda. In particular, it noted the need for increased investment in “SRHR Neglected areas”, including: safe abortion and post-abortion care, sexual and gender-based violence, comprehensive sexuality education, family planning and contraception, as well as advocacy.

Associated links

• Canada’s 10-Year Commitment to Global Health and Rights (international.gc.ca)
• Women Deliver 2023 Conference (WD2023)
• Guttmacher Lancet Commission (2018)
• Government of Canada makes historic investment to promote the health and rights of women and girls around the world

Haley Hodgson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of International Development
Haley.Hodgson@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
media@international.gc.ca
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