Equality Matters newsletter: May 2025

Gear up for Pride Season 

While celebrations occur throughout the entire year, Pride Season runs from June to September and we’re here to help you get ready!  Show your pride and learn more about Pride Season or brush up on your 2SLGBTQI+ terminology.  

GBA Plus turns 30

This year marked the 30th anniversary of Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus), a vital tool for understanding how diverse groups may experience policies and programs differently. The 2025 theme, Celebrating 30 Years of GBA Plus, highlighted the impact of GBA Plus implementation in Canada over the last three decades, and the Government of Canada's continued commitment to integrating GBA Plus in policies, programs, and initiatives.

Apply GBA Plus to your work 

We often assume that our work or policies apply to everyone equally, without considering gender or diversity issues. But these assumptions can lead to unintended and unequal impacts on particular groups of people.

Discover how GBA Plus can be applied to a wide range of issues – from cyberbullying and mining to traumatic brain injuries – to better understand how different groups experience these challenges.

Call for nominations

Women and Gender Equality Canada is calling for nominations for the 2025 Governor General’s Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case. 

Created in 1979 to mark the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking Persons Case, these awards recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the goal of equality for women and girls in Canada.

Full details, including deadlines and guidelines, are available on our website.

Empowering Women in STEM with Catalyst 

We’re committed to breaking barriers and advancing gender equality across all fields. WAGE funds the Catalyst project by TechGirls Canada that supports highly skilled immigrant women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by addressing critical barriers to career advancement, such as recruitment, retention, and promotion. 

Stigma Busters

With Pride Season around the corner, let’s address negative attitudes and misconceptions that people may hold towards 2SLGBTQI+ people.

Stigma or Fact? Only young people are a part of the 2SLGBTQI+ communities.

If you guessed stigma, you’re right! Within the 2SLGBTQI+ communities, 26.6% are over the age of 45. Older generations who are a part of 2SLGBTQI+ communities have worked tirelessly to develop more inclusive communities for the future.

Canada at UNCSW69

From March 10 to 21, the Canadian Delegation attended the 69th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW69) in New York City. Canada’s participation reinforced its dedication to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals.

Canada also hosted a UNCSW69 side-event focused on “Driving Actionable Change and Strengthening Global Solidarity Among Indigenous Women”. The event aimed to reflect on the progress of the Beijing Declaration of Indigenous Women since 1995 and drive actionable change.

Read or watch Canada’s statement.