Canada’s strengthened commitment to global health and nutrition will support the efforts of a wide range of partners to help the poorest and most vulnerable around the world.
Building on Canada’s ongoing global health and nutrition investments, this increased commitment will strengthen Canada’s global health leadership by:
- Advancing progress in the neglected areas of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR),
- Supporting Canadian capacity in global health and nutrition, and;
- Maintaining Canada’s leadership in global health platforms.
Through the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the world has outlined an ambitious agenda to end poverty, promote well-being and protect the planet. To reach the SDG targets by 2030, a new focus is required that puts women and girls at the centre of the global development agenda.
Under the Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada has focused its health investments on improving the health, rights and well-being of women, adolescents and children. SRHR is at the centre of this approach. The ability to decide whether, when and with whom to become pregnant, free from coercion, is essential to ensuring women’s and girls’ rights over their lifetimes. Ensuring access to SRHR will also bring developmental and economic benefits to everyone.
Canada will take a comprehensive approach on SRHR focusing on:
- reproductive health services,
- comprehensive sexuality education,
- family planning and contraceptives,
- safe and legal abortion and post-abortion care,
- sexual and gender-based violence (including child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation and cutting), and;
- advocacy activities for SRHR.
Canadian organizations have long played a leadership role in partnership with developing countries, to improve gender equality and health and nutrition outcomes. Recognizing their valuable contributions, the Government of Canada will continue to partner with Canadian organizations on a variety of initiatives for the health and nutrition of women, adolescents, and children around the world.
Canada will also continue to support the important work of international and multilateral global health organizations like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which has saved over 27 million lives since 2002, the Global Financing Facility for Every Woman Every Child, which helps close the financing gap in health and nutrition around the world and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which has immunized approximately 760 million children, and prevented more than 10 million deaths.