The Canadian Perspective

Canada has a long history of promoting gender equality and women’s rights. Since the launch of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy in 2017, the Canadian government has pursued several foreign policy initiatives on feminism, gender equality, and women's empowerment around the world. With the Asia Pacific being a priority for Canada – and a region where progress towards gender equality has been uneven – Ottawa should put more emphasis on contributing to the fight against widespread violations of women’s rights.

With UNESCAP’s focus on eliminating violence against women and girls, promoting women’s political participation, and enhancing women’s access to decent work as its priorities for the coming five years, Canada has many opportunities to contribute to the region's efforts related to gender equity. This would advance Canada’s agenda on women, peace, and security and contribute to building a sustainable and resilient Asia Pacific region.