Beijing+30 and Canada’s Fifth National Review

The year 2025 marks the 30^th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the Fourth World Conference on Women. In 1995, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was adopted unanimously by 189 countries. It is a landmark document that remains the most comprehensive blueprint for women’s and girl’s equality in history, paving the way for advances in education, health care, political representation, and legal reform. 

As part of their commitment, all participating countries must prepare a comprehensive national review of their progress in carrying out the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Led by Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), Canada's Fifth National Review (2019-2024): Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in the Context of the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women covers Canada’s progress in carrying out the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action between 2019 and 2024. The report was informed by discussions with:

• Over 20 departments and agencies of the Government of Canada 
• All provincial and territorial governments
• National Indigenous leaders and representatives

Highlights

30 years of promoting gender equality and empowering women

Gender equality and the empowerment of women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people, in all their diversity, are fundamental Canadian values. The Government of Canada is dedicated to advancing these principles and safeguarding human rights within Canada and globally to create a more equitable future for all.

National achievements

Since Canada’s last national review, progress has been made in promoting gender equality and empowering women, despite challenges such as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate-related disasters, and economic disruptions. Highlights include:

• Increased women’s participation in the labour force 
• Introducing a Canada-wide Early Learning Child Care system
• Endorsing Canada’s National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence 
• Rolling out Canada’s Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan  
• Providing emergency COVID-19 funding to women’s organizations and shelter systems 
• Launching the Feminist Response and Recovery Fund which invested in projects across Canada that support systemic change for women across economic, social, and political spheres  

Women’s participation in the labour force

One of Canada’s most important achievements over the last five years was women’s increased participation in the labour force. In 2023, the labour force participation rate of women aged 25 to 54 reached a record high of 85.5%. Progress was supported by nationwide efforts to ensure an inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and transformative economic policies, including introducing a Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) system and the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy.   

Early Learning and Child Care system

Starting in 2021, the Government of Canada made historic new investments, totaling close to $30 billion over five years, to build an ELCC system with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners. As provinces and territories have primary responsibility for the design and delivery of programs and services in this area, the Government of Canada is providing funding to them to support and grow the system within their jurisdictions. Investments in ELCC enable parents, especially mothers, to enter, remain in, or re-enter the job market; generate jobs for workers in the early learning and child care sector, most of whom are women; and create a generation of engaged and well-prepared young learners.

National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence

Gender-based violence (GBV) is one of the most pervasive, deadly, and deeply rooted human rights violations of our time. Over the past five years, the federal-provincial and territorial (FPT) governments worked together to achieve historic milestones in the effort to prevent and address GBV. In 2022, Canada’s Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Ministers responsible for the Status of Women launched the 10-year National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, supported by an investment of $539.3 million by the Government of Canada. In 2023, thirteen precedent-setting bilateral agreements were put in place and are advancing the commitment of federal, provincial, and territorial governments to work together towards a Canada free of gender-based violence – a Canada that supports victims, survivors, and their families from coast to coast to coast. 

Canada’s Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan

Advancing rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people in Canada remains a priority. Launched on August 28, 2022, the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan (Action Plan) aims at advancing rights and equality for Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and additional sexually and gender diverse (2SLGBTQI+) people in Canada. This Action Plan is designed to create a more equitable Canada for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, for present and future generations. The Action Plan builds upon work the Government of Canada has undertaken since 2015 to address persisting disparities faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities and build a safer, more inclusive country.

Emergency COVID-19 funding

The COVID-19 pandemic magnified the existing inequities in Canadian society, with women and equity-seeking communities disproportionately impacted.  Beginning in April 2020, through Women and Gender Equality Canada, the Government of Canada invested $300 million in emergency COVID-19 funding to over 1,400 front-line organizations across Canada, including women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, and other organizations that provide critical support and services to those experiencing gender-based violence. This served as a short-term response to the pandemic. As a result of this one-time emergency funding, more than 4 million individuals experiencing gender-based violence had a safe place to access supports.

Feminist Response and Recovery Fund

The COVID-19 pandemic magnified systemic and longstanding inequalities, with women and girls disproportionately affected by the crisis. The Government of Canada took strong action to prevent the pandemic from rolling back progress or reversing the hard-won gains of women in Canada. In 2021, WAGE launched the $100 million Feminist Response and Recovery Fund to help organizations accelerate progress on gender equality and ensure that Canada’s response to and recovery from COVID-19 is inclusive of diverse women.

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