Open Letter on Canada’s Feminist Foreign Policy

Dear Prime Minister Carney,

We are writing to express our concern over recent statements and developments in Canadian foreign policy. While the world is changing and the threats Canada is now facing are different than 10 years ago, we urge you to maintain and expand Canada’s commitment to gender equality and human rights in all aspects of our foreign policy.

Here’s why.

• A strong and effective international human rights architecture and multilateral system is in Canada’s interest. We benefit, through a more peaceful and prosperous world, when human rights are respected and the rules-based order functions.
• Canada has a long history of championing gender equality, including the women, peace and security agenda, the 10-year commitment to sexual and reproductive health and rights, and 2SLGBTIQ+ rights. To back away from this position of leadership at a time of dramatic global rollbacks sends the wrong message to the world. In this time of threats to the rules-based order, support for and leadership in global normative frameworks is imperative.
• Gender equality issues are not just “values” issues. Gender equality has economic and security dimensions that belong in broad policy discussions.  For example, violence against women and girls is an economic issue. In Canada alone, the annual cost of adult sexual assault and intimate partner violence is over $9 billion. As Canada noted at the United Nations Security Council in October: “Far from optional, Women Peace and Security is a fundamental enabler of security. It sharpens our understanding of threats, strengthens our responses, and enhances our ability to deter, detect, and defend.”
• Intersectional policy frameworks make better policy for everyone. We know that in Canada, 30% of women live with a disability, and the number is likely to be much higher globally. Women, especially of intersecting identities, need to have a say in the policies that affect their lives, and Canada’s trade, defense, and aid decisions shape women, girls and gender-diverse people’s lives everywhere.
• The world needs leadership on human rights. The rights of women and 2SLGBTIQ+ people are under attack globally.  Anti-rights actors are organizing and looking to roll back gains and make future progress more difficult. Women, girls and gender diverse people are looking to Canada for support. Strong commitments and action – both domestically and internationally – position Canada as a genuine defender of human rights.
• Canada has developed skills, reputation, and expertise in a wide range of issues – including but not limited to gender-based violence, unpaid and paid care, sexual and reproductive health and rights, 2SLGBTIQ rights, support for women human rights defenders and women’s rights organizations, GBA+ analysis, feminist monitoring and evaluation, and women, peace and security – and has a generational opportunity to be the world’s leader in these areas.

Over the last 10 years, Canada has strengthened its attention to feminist analysis and priorities in its foreign policy. Feminist analysis provides important insights on the challenges Canada is facing. Discarding this expertise and focus at this time only makes Canada weaker, not stronger. The evidence is clear and has only grown over the past decade.  As your Secretary of State for International Development recently said at the House of Commons Foreign Affairs committee, “when women and girls do better, then we all do better. It’s not just the right thing to do; it’s the smart thing to do.”

We want to stress the importance of championing the rights of women, girls and 2SLGBTIQ+ people around the world (including global advocacy, programming, concrete investments) and bringing feminist perspectives to all of Canada’s international policies and programmes. Both are essential.

As you tackle the challenges faced by Canada, we urge you to:

• Commit to human rights and gender equality as a core pillar of Canada’s foreign policy and ensure robust attention to these issues across all foreign policy issues (including trade and defense). Confirm feminism as a fundamental value of Canada’s foreign policy. Continue to build the capacity of Global Affairs Canada (and other relevant departments) staff to apply feminist analysis and incorporate specific gender equality investments across all dimensions of Canada’s foreign policy.
• Ensure that key feminist commitments that are currently part of Canada’s ODA portfolio continue – including, but not limited to, the 10-year sexual and reproductive health and rights commitment, ongoing commitments to the Women, Peace and Security national action plan, the Women’s Voice and Leadership program, girls’ education, gender-based violence, and 2SLGBTIQ funding.
• Strike a civil society panel, composed of Canadian and global feminists, to advise on Canadian foreign policy, and re-appoint an Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security.

Now is the time to double down on standing up for the values Canada has held up for decades. Canada’s leadership is more urgent than ever, as we witness the world falling further into crisis and instability. Evidence shows gender equality contributes to more stable, equitable and prosperous outcomes, which is what ultimately Canadians and the world want.

Sincerely,

Organisations  / Organizations

Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada

Above Ground (a project of MakeWay)

AccessBC

Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights

Afghan Women’s Organization Refugee and Immigrant Services

Amnesty International Canada (English Section))

Association féministe d’éducation et d’action sociale (Afeas)

Avocats sans frontières Canada / Lawyers without borders Canada

Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic

BWSS Battered Women’s Support Services

Canadian Association of Midwives

Canadian Association of Professional Employees

Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW)

Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions

Canadian Labour Congress

Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability | Réseau canadien sur la reddition de compte des entreprises

Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH)

Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women/L’Institut canadien de recherches sur les femmes

Canadian Union of Postal Workers – Syndicat des travailleurs et travailleuses des postes

Canadian Women’s Foundation

CARE Canada

Carrefour de solidarité internationale de Sherbrooke

CECI – Centre d’Étude et de Coopération Internationale

Centre de solidarité internationale du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean

CFUW (Canadian Federation of University Women)

Coalition pour l’équité salariale du Nouveau-Brunswick

CODE

Codevelopment Canada

Collectif québécois des féminismes en dialogue (CQFD)

Cooperation Canada

Coordination du Québec de la Marche mondiale des femmes (CQMMF)

CRÉDIL

Decolonial Disability Studies Collective (DDSC)

Développement international Desjardins (DID)

Egale Canada

Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada

Engendering Disability-Inclusive Development/Genre, handicap et développement inclusif (EDID-GHDI)

Equality Fund

FCJ Refugee Centre

Fédération des femmes du Québec

Feminist Alliance for International Action

Fondation Paul Gérin-Lajoie

Fos Feminista Canada

FUNDACION OXFAM INTERMON

Génération Cinq

Global Women in STEM

Grandmothers Act to Save the Planet (GASP)

Humanité & Inclusion Canada

Humanité & Inclusion Canada

Immigrant Women Services Ottawa

IMPACT

Inter Pares

Iranian Women’s Organization of Ontario

KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives | Initiatives œcuméniques canadiennes pour la justice

McLeod Group

Mer et Monde

Mines Action Canada

Mission inclusion

National Association of Women and the Law

National Union of Public and General Employees

Nellie’s / Women’s Hostels Inc

North York Women’s Centre (NYWC)

OCASI-Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants

Oxfam-Canada

Oxfam-Québec

PARDEC

Peace Track Initiative (PTI)

Plan International Canada

Public Service Alliance of Canada

Results Canada

Saskatchewan Federation of Labour

Save the Children Canada

SAVIS of Halton –

South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario

South Asian Women’s Rights Organization

Stephen Lewis Foundation

Tatamagouche Center, Nova Scotia

Terre Sans Frontières

The Collective Legacy

The Windsor Women Working With Immigrant Women

Unifor

United Steelworkers (USW)

Village Monde

Women Transforming Cities International Society

Women’s Centre for Social Justice – WomenatthecentrE

Women’s Health in Women’s Hands CHC

Women’s Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham (WMRCC)

Women’s Shelters Canada

Women’s Support Network of York Region

Working Women Community Centre

YWCA Canada

YWCA Hamilton

YWCA Toronto