Inter Press Service: Canada Takes a Lead Role Funding Reproductive Health, Women’s Rights & Sustainable Development
“…Currently the fifth largest donor to the U.N.’s development agencies — and holding the Presidency of the G7 comprising the world’s leading industrialized nations — [Canada] is planning to run for a non-permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council for 2021-22. Host to the 7th International Parliamentarians’ Conference (ICPI) on population and development in Ottawa last week — and having hosted the first such meeting in 2002 — Canada has also launched a Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP). … Leading the fight for women’s rights, gender empowerment, and sexual and reproductive rights is Marie-Claude Bibeau, the Canadian minister of international development, who is also a strong advocate for increased development financing. In an interview with IPS, she said international events like IPCI can be a strong catalyst for mobilizing people, ideas, and resources…” (Deen, 10/29).