Introduction

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today took part in a panel on gender parity where participants discussed how the world can work together to achieve progress towards equality.

During the session, the Prime Minister shared Canada’s vision for the advancement of women’s rights with other leading decision-makers, including: Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer and Member of the Board, Facebook; Jonas Prising, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ManpowerGroup; and Zhang Xin, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, SOHO China.

The discussion also focused on how public policies affect men and women differently, and looked for opportunities to further advance gender equality in the rapidly shifting global economy.

Quote

“The strength of any society depends on the full participation of all its citizens, including women. Ensuring gender parity and the advancement of women’s rights should be a given in 2016. I have made clear Canada’s commitment to gender parity—it remains a priority for our government domestically, as well as internationally.”
- Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada 

Quick Facts:

• Canada is a world leader in the promotion and protection of women’s rights and gender equality. These issues are central to Canada’s foreign and domestic policies.
• Canada is committed to the view that gender equality is not only a human rights issue, but is also an essential component of sustainable development, social justice, peace, and security.
• Canada has been a world leader in integrating gender equality analysis into its international development programs.