International Women’s Day statement by ministers Joly, Hussen and Ng

March 8, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada 

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development; and the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, today issued the following statement:

“On International Women’s Day and every day, Canada is committed to defending, protecting and promoting the rights of women and girls in all their diversity. While the global community has made significant progress on women’s and girls’ rights, serious challenges persist. Canada will continue to actively push back against regressive trends that threaten to roll back women’s rights and we will continue to be steadfast in our advocacy for women’s and girls’ rights during crises and conflicts, such as in Afghanistan,Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Haiti, Myanmar, Sudan and Ukraine.

“Today’s theme, Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress, highlights gender equality as the foundation for building a greener, more prosperous and inclusive economy. Guided by our feminist foreign policy and Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada works to address the systemic barriers and harmful social norms that prevent women and girls from reaching their full potential at work, at home and as engaged members of their communities. Women and girls are the people most affected by rising poverty, conflict and violence, and by the impacts of climate change. They are also key partners in designing and implementing effective, relevant and sustainable solutions to these global challenges. 

“That is why Canada proudly supports women’s rights organizations, human rights defenders and feminist movements that work to protect the rights of women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ communities around the world. Canada has invested over $645 million in signature initiatives such as the Women’s Voice and Leadership Program, the Equality Fund and the Alliance for Feminist Movements. These initiatives have supported over 2,900 women’s rights groups in more than 30 countries. Our partners’ remarkable efforts have helped to change more than 100 discriminatory policies and laws, and their programming provides relevant, effective support for thousands of women and girls, 2SLGBTQI+ people and their communities.

“All over the world, women are among the first victims of conflict-related violence. Canada recognizes that we must not only prioritize women’s and girls’ security, we must ensure that their voices are part of finding solutions. Canada is a leading supporter of the UN Security Council’s women, peace and security agenda because we know that for peace processes to be successful, women peacebuilders and human rights defenders must be included every step of the way. 

“Through the Elsie Initiative, Canada works with partners to advance the meaningful participation of uniformed women in UN peace operations. This means that women serving in the military and in policing are represented across all ranks and functions. They can take on non-traditional roles and hold positions of authority that correspond to their experience and training, and they are welcomed into barrier-free professional cultures where there is parity in deployment conditions.

“In addition, Canada proudly advances an inclusive international trade agenda that supports women’s economic empowerment. As a cofounder and active member of the Global Trade and Gender Arrangement and the Inclusive Trade Action Group, Canada advocates for inclusivity in trade agreements to help address the interests, needs and challenges of women participating in trade. Through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, Canada is also investing almost $7 billion to help thousands of women start up, scale up and expand their businesses into international markets. 

“As we mark International Women’s Day, we applaud the courage and conviction of women around the world who stand up for human rights, lift each other up and break down barriers. Canada is proud to support you, to invest in your success and to work together toward a brighter and more inclusive future.”