On March 19, the government of Canada tabled its 2019 federal budget, which included an additional $100 million in funding for international aid, and highlighted $600 million from previous announcements over the period of 2019 to 2024.

This funding is intended to help Canada deliver on commitments from 2018 in support of the objectives in its feminist international assistance policy — especially in regards to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls around the world.

In addition, the budget highlighted steps being taken to bring greater transparency and accountability to Canada’s foreign aid commitments.

This is a big year for Canada as the country gets set to host the Women Deliver 2019 Conference — the largest global gathering on the health, rights and wellbeing of women and girls — this June in Vancouver. And in the run-up, we need Global Citizens to take action to help us ensure the event leads to a lasting global impact.

Take Action: Call on Canada to Increase Funding for the Health and Rights of Women and Children

Nearly 5 million mothers and children die each year from preventable causes and 214 million women worldwide want to avoid pregnancy, but do not have access to modern contraception and family planning services.

Global Citizen’s #SheIsEqual campaign is working towards a world where all women are empowered and have the opportunity to build a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.

One of the campaign’s objectives is to secure a new commitment from the government of Canada in support of women's and children’s health, nutrition and rights around the world. That is why we’ve joined over 25 Canadian organizations to promote Thrive, a bold new agenda for the future of Canadian leadership in women's and children’s health.

With Canada’s global health funding set to run out this year, and its next federal election quickly approaching, now is the time for Canadian leaders to take the necessary steps forward to safeguard and advance crucial progress made in maternal and child health and nutrition, family planning, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

Thrive promotes the integration of these key pieces so that women and children can access the full range of interventions they need throughout their lives in order to reach their full potential. It also promotes long-term, sustainable investment over a 10-year period to provide the time and space needed to achieve real change.

With Thrive, Global Citizen is calling on Canada to renew its annual global health funding of $1 billion and add an additional $400 million per year to fill critical gaps, from 2020 to 2030. This includes $500 million per year to specifically address neglected areas of SRHR, such as access to modern contraception.

Help Canada continue its legacy as a leader in women's and children’s health and take action now.

Advocacy

Defeat Poverty

Canada Just Announced Additional Funding for International Aid

By Jonah Kanter