(2005-43) News Release
September 16, 2005
Islamabad — Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Anne McLellan, today announced, on behalf of International Cooperation Minister Aileen Carroll, that Canada is providing $9.5 million for initiatives that will help improve the conditions of Pakistani women. The announcement coincides with Minister McLellan's visit to Pakistan. The funds will be provided by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
"Canada strongly supports efforts by women in Pakistan to achieve gender equality," said Minister McLellan, "I am pleased to be here in Pakistan to strengthen east-west relations and to confirm our support for womens' socio-economic development, which will help lead to more stable families and communities. Canada's support for CIDA funding in Pakistan as a whole is helping to build a more stable region."
"Gender equality is an important theme in Canada's International Development Policy statement and throughout our development programming," Minister Carroll said. "By ensuring that women's concerns and experiences are made an integral part of decision-making processes in Pakistan, women will have a greater chance to realize their full potential."
Minister McLellan has met with Pakistan's Prime Minister, the Minister for the Interior and the Minister for Economic Affairs. Her meetings covered issues relating to East-West understanding, common security interests of the two countries and development in the region. She will also visit CIDA-funded programs in the Northern Areas of Pakistan including those supporting education of women and girls.
The initiatives will be funded as follows:
$3 million to work with government, civil society, the private sector, and trade unions to reduce barriers to women's employment and help improve women's economic opportunities in the country;
$4.5 million to assist the federal and provincial governments in Pakistan to implement major gender reforms, and;
$2 million to integrate gender analysis into the Government of Pakistan's policy and program planning, execution and evaluation.
Funding for this initiative was provided for in the February 2005 Federal Budget and is built into the existing fiscal framework.
For more information, please see the attached backgrounder or visit the Government of Canada website at www.gc.ca .
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Information
Andrew Graham
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of International Cooperation
Telephone: (819) 953-6238
Media Relations Office
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Telephone: (819) 953-6534
E-mail: media@acdi-cida.gc.ca
Web site: www.cida.gc.ca
Alex Swann
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Anne McLellan
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
(613) 991-2863
Media Relations
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
(613) 991-0657
Web site: www.psepc.gc.ca
