March 8, 2015 – International Women’s Day gives us all the opportunity to celebrate the progress that has been made to advance the rights of women and girls.
Canada’s theme this year, “Strong Women. Strong World. Improving Economic Opportunities for All,” points to the vital contribution that women make every day to both the domestic and global economies.
This is why Canada has made improving maternal, newborn and child health its top development priority. Last May, at the Saving Every Woman, Every Child summit, hosted by Prime Minister Harper, Canada announced a $3.5-billion commitment to end the preventable deaths of women and children. This was a message to the world that the Government of Canada—with the full support of our citizens—is in this for the long haul.
We are championing civil registration and vital statistics. We are working to eliminate gender-based violence. And we are coming up with new and innovative ways to sustainably finance maternal, newborn and child health initiatives that leverage funds from all partners.
The private sector is key to the equation. It provides goods and services that improve quality of life for women and children. It also creates jobs and drives the economic growth required to help people go from poverty to self-sufficiency.
Canada recognizes that women, in their various roles as wage earners, entrepreneurs, farmers or health workers, have a central role to play in this process.
That is why we support women’s economic empowerment by focusing on initiatives that increase women’s economic opportunities, strengthen their economic leadership, and advance the rights of women worldwide.
For example, in Ethiopia, Canada is helping as many as 17,500 women entrepreneurs turn their ideas into growing businesses and jobs in their communities by improving their access to financing and technical training.
On International Women’s Day, Canada faces the future with the women and girls of developing countries, and recognizes their courage, strength and resolve.
Christian Paradis
Minister of International Development and La Francophonie
