Canada’s National Statement at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security

Canada’s National Statement delivered by Canada’s Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security on October 20, 2020:

Canada is profoundly concerned about the reversal of generational gains in women’s rights about the Taliban attempting to erase women from public life in Afghanistan - Zahra Nader referred to it as “gender apartheid”- about attacks on often young, peaceful women protestors in Iran and Sudan; about conflict-related sexual violence in Ethiopia, Haiti, Myanmar, Myanmar, Yemen and as part of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine; about the murders of women climate activists, about dangerous disinformation campaigns targeting women peacebuilders and human rights defenders, and about so much more.

As we reflect in this debate on ways that women and girls, in all their diversity, are overcoming immense barriers, let us recognize and thank them for their resilience. But let us be clear that our highest focus must be on addressing the factors that require them to be resilient in the first place.

Canada is proud to work with a wide range of partners around the world to support systemic changes. And we are looking inwards, too.

Like many other countries, Canada is drafting our next National Action Plan. To prepare, our primary civil society partner, the Women, Peace and Security Network–Canada, sought input from across our country. Among their recommendations, they called on us to focus on the “peace” in women, peace and security, and to bring a more feminist lens to the “security.”

Their calls are relevant to us all, and are informing our next Action Plan. We are expanding the domestic focus and addressing a broader range of security issues and crises. We are recommitting to strong, predictable engagement with civil society and Indigenous representatives, and working together to integrate anti-racist approaches to our work. We are determined to honour the power of women peacebuilders in all their diversity, recognizing that supporting them, and supporting feminist movements, is one of the greatest contributions that any of us can make to preventing violent conflict. We are also determined to work with them, and all of you, to prevent and address the increasing attacks and reprisals that they face for doing their essential work.  

Last year, I told this Council that Canada is determined to reflect, and proceed with humility. That we want to talk about our successes, but are also resolved to share our challenges openly.

In that spirit, our Department of National Defence undertook an independent assessment of barriers to the meaningful participation of women from the Canadian Armed Forces in peace operations. For this, we used the methodologydeveloped through the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations. Last month, we made the results public.

We will keep deepening the work we’re doing within our own institutions, and, having renewed the Elsie Initiative for another five years, we will keep working with partners globally, to ensure receptive environments and root out harmful practices and unacceptable behaviours.

Thank you.