By Lilian Chatterjee
High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana
The Government of Canada sees March 8th, or International Women’s Day, as an opportunity to celebrate what women have achieved and the progress we have made globally on gender equality.
It is also a time to reflect on how much more we have to do. Women and girls are still held back in so many ways all over the world. They are disproportionately affected by diseases like HIV/AIDS. They are subject to abuses like child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation and cutting. 650 million women and girls in the world today were married before they turned 18 and 214 million women and adolescent girls want access to contraception, but do not have it.
I could go on, but the bottom line is that millions and millions of women and girls all over the world simply do not have the power to make decisions about their lives.
And when we hold women back, we are all held back. The World Bank Group tells us that if women had the same lifetime earnings as men, global wealth could increase by $160 trillion dollars.
That is potential we cannot afford to keep losing. And that is why Canada has integrated gender equality into our diplomacy, trade, security and development efforts.
In 2017, we launched a Feminist International Assistance Policy that puts gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls at the heart of all of our development efforts. We didn’t stop there. As our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia Freeland, has noted, Canada’s approach to foreign policy is feminist. And from Canada’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, to our progressive trade agenda, to the $650 million we’ve allocated for projects on sexual and reproductive health and rights around the world, Canada is working tirelessly to make sure that gender equality is always on the agenda.
We did this during our 2018 G7 Presidency, when we made history by integrating gender equality and women’s empowerment into all G7 themes, commitments and initiatives and by inviting young women to the table.
And we will keep doing it—when we proudly host the Women Deliver Conference from June 3rd to 6th in Vancouver, for example. This conference is the world’s largest gathering on the health, rights and well-being of women and girls, bringing together more than 7,000 world leaders, influencers, advocates, academics, activists and journalists from more than 160 countries with an additional 100,000 people joining virtually. It is not just a conference; it’s a movement that that gives voice to a broad spectrum of people, including Indigenous peoples, youth and people living in conflict and crisis settings.
And we will not stop. Not until women and girls no longer face barriers to achieving their full potential in all spheres of life. Not until women and girls no longer face discrimination, harassment and gender-based violence. Not until their human rights are upheld.
#BalanceforBetter
The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) is #BalanceforBetter. It argues that if we better the balance, we better the world because greater gender equality benefits everyone. It is not about leaving men and boys behind. Indeed, the struggle to transform our institutions, our politics and our culture so that every member of society stands to benefit, is a struggle best won when shared by women and men. This includes breaking the social norms and attitudes on gender stereotypes that constrain the roles of men and boys, such as having more women in sectors that are traditionally considered “male” and more men in sectors that are traditionally considered “female.” It is about building a more gender-balanced world.
So, on March 8th—and every day—let us all put gender equality at the forefront of our thoughts and efforts. And let us celebrate the achievements of women around the world, including Guyanese women working to promote greater opportunities for women and girls in organizations like STEM Guyana, the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association, Women Across Differences, Guyana’s National Committee for Sisters’ Affairs (NACOSA), and others.
I invite all Guyanese—men and women—to join the High Commission of Canada on Sunday, March 10th, 2019 at the Everest Cricket Club Grounds from 14:00 hrs. Come and get to know these organizations and the amazing work they are doing and maybe even get involved. Or come for the exhibition and concert to celebrate International Women’s Day.
Come help us build a more gender-balanced world. We can #Balanceforbetter!
