Global Affairs Canada’s International Assistance Review announced a public review and consultations to renew Canada’s international assistance policy and funding framework in 2016 to support the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. The consultation process engaged a wide range of Canadians and international partners, including Canadian NGOs, donor and partner governments, youth, people in developing countries, and experts in the field of international assistance with over 15,000 people and partners engaged in the consultations, resulting in more than 10,600 written contributions. The discussion Paper released following the consultation highlights the importance [...]
03.13.2017 » Future Planning Initiative: A leadership opportunity for the Government of Canada
Organized by a small group of Canadian organizations, the Future Planning Initiative emerged out of a meeting of experts representing Canadian and international civil society organizations, government representatives, publicly elected officials, activists, and the private sector. The goals of the meeting were to develop a shared understanding of issues related to SRHR (including global gaps), to explore options for a collective approach to Canada’s SRHR policy over the next five years, and to build momentum for such an approach.
By giving adolescents and young women more control over their bodies [...]
03.13.2017 » She Decides Conference
On March 2, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, and Sweden hosted a summit to strengthen support and funding for the She Decides initiative. Initiated by the Dutch government, the initiative was created to support organizations affected by Trump’s expanded Global Gag Rule and to encourage increased bilateral assistance towards sexual and reproductive health. 50 governments attended the summit during which Canada pledged $20 million. Sweden and Finland also pledged $20 million with additional $10 million pledges from Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands and private donor contributions that brought the total funding [...]
03.13.2017 » President Trump re-enacts Global Gap Rule
During the Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations, the Global Gag Rule prohibited foreign NGOs receiving U.S. assistance related to family planning and reproductive health from using non-U.S. funding to provide abortion services, information, counseling or referrals and from engaging in advocacy for access to safe abortion services. This policy causes real and serious harm to women around the world and runs contrary to international development agreements signed by the U.S. The policy leads to shortages in resources, the closure of health facilities offering [...]
