CanWaCH

From a pledge to a plan: What's Next?
2021-01-27 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Toronto)
Content warning: Sexual violence | Avertissement sur le contenu : Violence sexuelle.
Is your organization Digna? Worthy of the trust placed in you by Canadians, by our government and by millions of people who benefit from Canadian official development assistance around the world?
Join the first annual Digna conference, and hear from sector leaders, government officials & PSEA champions who will discuss how we as a sector can prevent and address sexual exploitation and abuse.
See full details here: https://bit.ly/3iz3MOH
*The event will be in English and French, with simultaneous interpretation.

Global Health Practitioner Conference: Prioritizing Child & Adolescent Health in the New Decade
2021-01-27 - 2021-01-28
The Global Health Practitioner Conference (GHPC) is CORE Group’s flagship annual conference.
The conference is put on by CORE Group, a leader in community health working to end preventable maternal, newborn, and child deaths around the world. Through collaborative action CORE Group promotes and safeguards health in communities and creates new models for reaching the most marginalized populations.
Implementers, academics, governments, donors, UN, private sector, and other community health advocates convene in this multi-day, content rich meeting that features knowledge sharing and skills building sessions, recent evidence on cross-sectoral technical areas, dialogues on community health, and professional networking.
Find out more about past Global Health Practitioner Conferences here.
“I think [the conference] is an exceptional opportunity to bring people from very different backgrounds around the table in a setup that is very conducive to for dialogue, and it has produced incredible discussion.” – Emanuele Capobianco, Director of Health and Care, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescents
Unlocking Potential: Prioritizing Child & Adolescent Health in the New Decade

Now is a critical time to prioritize child and adolescent health. The COVID-19 pandemic is threatening progress made as health systems struggle to rapidly respond to this crisis and children and adolescents are often bearing the brunt of the impact. Increased violence against children, reduced access to routine healthcare, especially sexual and reproductive services, and stunted social development are just a few of the issues exacerbated by this global pandemic.
GHPC 2021 will continue the dialogue and action from our July virtual event Lives in the Balance: A COVID-19 Summit for the Health and Well-Being of Women, Children, and Adolescents hosted by CORE Group and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, & Child Health (PMNCH) which was attended by over 3,000 participants globally. Implementers, UN agencies, academics, donors, private sector, youth, civil society, and community health advocates operating locally and internationally are invited to participate in this engaging, highly interactive, three-day, virtual event.
REGISTER HERE

Careers in International Development Panel
2021-01-25 13:00 - 14:00
Are you interested in a career in international development but are not sure where to start? Join the CIC Young Professionals Network on January 25th to gain insights and advice from established professionals in their fields. The event will consist of an opportunity to speak directly to guests and ask your questions.

REGISTER HERE

Launch of Lancet Series on Women’s & Children’s Health in Conflict Settings
2021-01-25 10:00 - 11:30
The Series aim to improve understanding of and address the special requirements of providing sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition services in conflict settings. The Series draws upon scholarship from the BRANCH Consortium, providing insights into the nature and dynamics of women’s and children’s health and nutrition in diverse conflict contexts globally. The Series papers articulate a way forward to fill immediate evidence and guidance gaps as well as longer term action to ensure the most effective humanitarian health response for conflict-affected women and children.
A diverse panel of experts and frontline workers will share ideas on how to advance health sector interventions for women and children in conflict settings.
REGISTER HERE
Partners and speakers include
Eran Bendavid*, Stanford University
Zulfiqar Bhutta*, SickKids Centre for Global Child Health and the Aga Khan University
Karl Blanchet*, Geneva Centre for Humanitarian Studies
Helen Clark , Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health
Michelle Gaffey*, SickKids Centre for Global Child Health
Esperanza Martinez, International Committee of the Red Cross
Elizabeth Mason, Independent Accountability Panel
Neha Singh*, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Health in Humanitarian Crisis Centre
Paul Spiegel*, Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health
Paul Wise*, Stanford University
*Indicates Series author
Moderated by Richard Horton, The Lancet

International Day of Education
2021-01-24
Education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility.
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.
Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind.

Canada’s Foreign Aid Sector: The Impact of the Pandemic
2021-01-21 13:00 - 14:00
ICNEngage starts the new year with a webinar reflecting on how the Canadian Foreign Aid sector has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Join us as we discuss research findings from a recent study by the University of Guelph, ‘The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Canada’s Foreign Aid Sector.’ The webinar presents the opportunity to engage in dialogue with researchers and development sector actors on the current issues facing the international development sector. Join Spencer Henson (Professor, Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics, University of Guelph), Maïka Sondarjee (Assistant Professor, School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa) and Barbara Grantham (President & CEO, CARE Canada) as they explore the changing perspectives on how Canadians see themselves as global citizens, perception and awareness of poverty in developing countries, gender equality, and trust in Canadian NGOs. Join the conversation online with #ICNEngage.
The webinar will be available in French and English. The webinar will have breakout sessions to discuss the research findings. Recording of the webinar will be made available in French and English.

Register Now

Women Speak – The experience of GIPA/MIPA in the area of COVID-19
2021-01-21 11:00 - 15:00
The Greater involvement of people with HIV/AIDS (GIPA) and The Meaningful Involvement of People living with HIV/AIDS (MIPA) is one of the most important parts of the work within the HIV sector that will never be finished. It is a goal and commitment that must be continually renewed, assessed and challenged within all aspects of the HIV Community. GIPA and MIPA is a practice that continues to allow the community of People Living with HIV and those who work in-and-around HIV to assess the work that is being done. Most importantly, the practice of MIPA/GIPA is a living practice that constantly growing or being endangered with outside forces. Currently, that being COVID-19.
The meaningful involvement of women living with HIV/AIDS (MIWA) is a key feature of women-centered HIV care, research and policy making. Yet little is known about transforming MIWA from principle to practice. The right of women living with HIV and other affected populations to participate as active and equal agents of change in their own health, not simply passive recipients of services, has long been recognized. In 1994, at the Paris AIDS Summit, 42 governments, including Canada, endorsed the principle of the greater involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS (GIPA), as follows: “Aims to realize the rights and responsibilities of people living with HIV, including their right to self-determination and participation in decision making processes that affect their lives…GIPA also aims to enhance the quality and effectiveness of the AIDS response. (UNAIDS, 2007, p. 1)”
The Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development seeks to continue the work that has started by gathering experts on GIPA/MIPA within the female focus (this includes the work and realities of Transgender and Gender non-conforming individuals) as well as community members to engage in a conversation around the future of GIPA/MIPA and the realities of the practice within the COVID-19 lens. These focused conversations over two days will be the key influence to creating a policy paper on the intersectionality of the social determinants of health, legal issues, housing and many others that will be influenced by the outcomes of the conversation.
The Forum – Women Speak – The experience of GIPA/MIPA in the era of COVID-19 -will be held on January 21th and 22nd, 2020, 11:00am EST – 3:00pm EST for both days.
REGISTER HERE
Have your input into the conversation by answering a few questions about your experience with GIPA/MIPA.
Please contact us with any questions or concerns: Emily Carson – ecarson@icad-cisd.com

Information Session: Foreign Policy By Canadians initiative
2021-01-20 13:00 - 14:00
Join us for an information session about the exciting new citizen-driven foreign policy initiative by CanWaCH, CIC and Global Canada.
Foreign Policy By Canadians is a joint initiative between the Canadian International Council (CIC), Global Canada and the Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH) to reimagine Canada’s global engagement. It is a national conversation for Canadians from all walks of life to convene and present their perspectives on Canada’s role in the world.
REGISTER HERE

FPBC: Citizens Deliberating the Future of Canada’s Global Engagement
2021-01-18 16:30 - 17:30, 2021-01-15 15:00 - 16:00, 2021-01-14 19:00 - 20:00, 2021-01-13 17:30 - 18:30
These four events will be test runs of the deliberations that we are organizing for a microcosm of all Canadian citizens in February 2021. Extensive expert consultations throughout Fall 2020 produced policy proposals on four fundamental objectives in Canada’s foreign policy: Health, Security, Prosperity and Dignity. Participants will receive a discussion guide for their preferred topic and will be invited to deliberate with other citizens in an online session run by the Stanford University Center for Deliberative Democracy.
Event 1: Halifax (Security) Wednesday January 13 6:30 pm local, 5:30 EST
Event 2: Toronto (Dignity) Thursday January 14 7:00 pm EST
Event 3: Prince George (Global Public Health) Friday January 15 noon local, 3:00 pm EST
Event 4: Calgary (Prosperity) Monday January 18 2:30 pm local, 4:30 pm EST
REGISTER HERE
About
The CIC | The mandate of the Canadian International Council is to give citizens a voice in global affairs. Founded 92 years ago by Sir Robert Borden, CIC is a non-partisan, grassroots, and citizen-centred organization with 17 branches across Canada, from Halifax to Prince George.
CanWaCH | The Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH) is comprised of approximately 100 Canadian non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academic institutions, health professional associations and individuals partnering to improve health outcomes for women and children in more than 1,000 communities worldwide.
Global Canada | Global Canada brings together Canadians in leadership positions around the world and is based on two core beliefs. First, that Canada can best serve its interests by enhancing its global impact. Second, that Canada’s impact will be enhanced if key Canadian institutions and individuals work together in a coordinated and complementary manner, informed by a clear set of overarching principles.

Access to maternal, adolescent and child health services in Senegal: mobilization of the Bajenu Gox, neighborhood aunties
2021-01-15 13:00 - 14:00
Description: Maternal, neonatal and child mortality in Senegal is still high. To address the situation, the Senegal government has started the Bajenu Gox program in 2009. The Innovation for Maternal and Child Health in Africa (IMCHA) research project « Bajenu Gox : A Community Approach to Maternal and Child Health in Senegal », attempted to revitalize the program and to strengthen the activities of these neighborhood aunties at the community level. Come learn about the obstacles faced by this program, what the project did and what were the impacts on the health service use, and more largely on gender equality, family planning use, child health, and much more.
The speakers are:
• Dr Rosalie A. Diop, professor and researcher, Institut de Population, Développement et Santé de la Reproduction, Université Cheick Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal
• Dr Samba Cor Sarr, Chief of research division at the Direction de la Planification, de la Recherche et des Statistiques and permanent secretary at the national ethic committee for health research, Senegal
This webinar is free. Translation in French and English will be available.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN
The Innovating for Maternal and Child Health in Africa (IMCHA) initiative seeks to improve maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes by strengthening health systems, using primary healthcare as an entry point. This eight-year (2014 – 2021), $36 million initiative is jointly funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Global Aﬀairs Canada (GAC), and the International Development Research Center (IDRC). It illustrates how partnerships serve to advance Canadian global health priorities. IMCHA funds projects in 11 sub-Saharan African countries: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Nineteen research teams (RTs) are generating evidence and promoting its use in policy and practice. Nine of these RTs received additional funds to complement their initial research projects. Two Health Policy and Research Organizations (HPROs) collaborate with the RTs to further foster uptake of evidence into policy and practice.
**You can learn more about this specific research project here: https://www.idrc.ca/en/project/bajenu-gox-community-approach-maternal-and-child-health-senegal-imcha

GBA+ Conference
2021-01-12 - 2021-01-13
Featuring GBA+ scholars. Organized by GBA+ experts external to the government.
REGISTER HERE

International Migrants Day
2020-12-18
Throughout human history, migration has been a courageous expression of the individual’s will to overcome adversity and to live a better life. Today, globalization, together with advances in communications and transportation, has greatly increased the number of people, who have the desire and the capacity to move to other places.
This new era has created challenges and opportunities for societies throughout the world. It also has served to underscore the clear linkage between migration and development, as well as the opportunities it provides for co-development, that is, the concerted improvement of economic and social conditions at both origin and destination.
Migration draws increasing attention in the world nowadays. Mixed with elements of unforeseeability, emergency, and complexity, the challenges and difficulties of international migration require enhanced cooperation and collective action among countries and regions. The United Nations is actively playing a catalyst role in this area, with the aim of creating more dialogues and interactions within countries and regions, as well as propelling experience exchange and collaboration opportunities.

Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Year of Action
2020-12-14 09:00 - 11:00
The Governments of Canada and Bangladesh, in partnership with the Government of Japan and with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, cordially invite you to the launch of a Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Year of Action taking place on December 14, 2020 from 9:00 to 11:00, EST.
The event will showcase new policy and financing commitments to nutrition from a range of stakeholders and will formally launch a Nutrition For Growth Year of Action, that includes milestone events leading up to the Summit in Tokyo in late December 2021.
Appearances from global nutrition champions include:
• Henrietta H. Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF;
• Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation;
• Agnes Kalibata, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Food System’s Summit;
• Gerda Verburg, United Nations Assistant Secretary General and Coordinator of the SUN Movement;
• Andrew Morley, CEO World Vision International;
• and many more.
A United Nations Call to Action (2020) predicted that without timely action, the COVID-19 pandemic would result in dramatic increases in wasting. We know that women and girls will suffer some of the worst consequences of economic disruptions and reduced nutrition services. Recommitting to nutrition as a central component of COVID response and recovery, and as a long-term development priority, is the only sure way to deliver on the World Health Assembly Nutrition Targets and the Sustainable Development Goals. The time to act is now!
We look forward to your participation so that we can recommit, together, to delivering on our collective ambitions for a world without malnutrition!

REGISTER HERE

International Universal Health Coverage Day
2020-12-12
On 12 December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed a resolution urging countries to accelerate progress toward universal health coverage (UHC) – the idea that everyone, everywhere should have access to quality, affordable health care – as an essential priority for international development. On 12 December 2017, the United Nations proclaimed 12 December as International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day) by resolution 72/138.

Voices From the Grassroots: COVID-19 and Women from the Global South
2020-12-10 08:30 - 10:30
The Ontario Council for International Cooperation’s Gender Equality Hub is commemorating Human Rights Day 2020 with a virtual Breakfast Dialogue, Voices From the Grassroots: COVID-19 and Women from the Global South, on December 10, 2020 at 8:30 am (EST).
This dialogue will focus on sharing experiences of women and girls from Afghanistan, Guatemala, Kenya, Mali, Philippines, Uganda and South Sudan, with the aim of amplifying their voices, showcasing their resilience, highlighting their unique challenges, and drumming up more support for stronger gender lenses in responding to the pandemic by all actors.
Join us to learn more about this initiative and to hear directly from Carmen Zubiaga, a disability rights advocate from the Philippines; Carolyn Drileba, a young refugee girl from South Sudan currently living in Uganda; and Najia Zewari, an Afghan/Canadian, founder of Global Women’s Network, and member of OCIC’s GE Hub.
Context:
Over the past several months, individual members of OCIC’s GE Hub and those representing Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO-SACO), World Accord, and World Renew have been working together to document the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable women and girls from seven countries.
The women and girls have spoken of impacts such as increased debt loads, job and income loss, heightened levels of gender violence and assault, especially amongst young girls, increased crime amongst youth boys, food insecurity and hunger, transportation challenges, civil unrest, unresponsive and inconsistent governments, exacerbation of inequality and discrimination, especially for persons with disabilities, as well as increased mental stress. Their experiences echo those of women, girls and other vulnerable and marginalised groups across the world, including in Canada.
Their testimonials call upon us to increase our advocacy efforts for increased gender responsive approaches by all sectors in response to COVID-19, as well as in rebuilding societies after the pandemic. They further call upon us to strengthen our approaches to more deliberately include diverse and multiple stakeholders and at all levels, including amongst civil society, religious groups, the private sector, community-based organizations at the grassroots, with diaspora communities, etc.
Join us to learn more.

Human Rights Day
2020-12-10
Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December — the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): a milestone document proclaiming the inalienable rights which everyone is inherently entitled to as a human being regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Available in more than 500 languages, it is the most translated document in the world.

Sexual and reproductive rights and respectful maternity care in Canada and globally
2020-12-09 13:00 - 14:30
This live interactive virtual forum will take place on Wednesday, December 9 betweern 1:00pm and 2:30pm ET.

Panelists: Dr Priscilla Phiri, AIP Instructor, AOGM (Malawi), Dr Elias Kweyamba, EmONC trainor, AGOTA (Tanzania), Dr. Laura MacLaren, AIP Instructor, SOGC (Canada)
Moderator: Dr. Dario Garcia (SOGC President)
Learning objectives:

Describe why respectful maternity care is promoted globally as an essential intervention to reduce maternal and newborn care;
List the essential components of respectful maternity care;
Describe why and how the concept of respectful maternity care is the corner of its AIP;
Learn recent global health partners’ experience in promoting respectful maternity care.

This event is available on a complimentary basis to SOGC members and non-members.
You will receive login information for the Zoom meeting by email 24 hours prior to the event date.
LEARN MORE

Foreign Policy by Canadians: Women in the Global Economy
2020-12-08 20:30 - 21:30
CIC Vancouver will host a panel as a part of the Global Ambition Project on Women in the Global Economy. With a focus on the UN Women’s 2018 flagship report, “Turning promises into action: Gender equality in the 2030 Agenda.”, this panel will discuss how Canada can help increase women’s leadership and participation across all sectors, with a particular interest in enhancing women’s education and economic empowerment as a means of driving overall national development.
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In this Together Launch
2020-12-08 12:00 - 15:00
The Together Project believes that back to normal is not an option and that together, Canada, alongside other global actors, can create forward solutions for a better Canada and a better world.
This event marks the launch of a series of cases, which show that we have the tools, evidence, and resources we need to contribute to a more prosperous, healthy, and stable world. With Canadian leadership and will, our country could make a real global difference. And when Canada invests in solving global issues, we all benefit.
We are all in this together.
Join our esteemed panelists to hear different perspectives on the role that Canada should play in the world.
French Event : 12:00noon-1:00pm (ET)
English Event: 2:00pm-3:00pm (ET)
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Lives in the Balance: Achieving Universal Health Coverage and leaving no one behind in a COVID-19 world
2020-12-08 08:00 - 11:00
Building on the success of Lives in the Balance: A COVID-19 Summit for the Health and Well-Being of Women, Children and Adolescents (1-2 July 2020), PMNCH, CORE Group and UHC2030 will reconvene partners across the globe for a virtual summit to take stock of how COVID-19 is impacting the progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) commitments. Following Lives in the Balance in July, this exciting and interactive event will:

Provide a space to reflect on progress and challenges and share best practices;
Identify ways to strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration;
Mobilize meaningful action to protect the progress on UHC and women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health.

The event will provide an opportunity to launch both the inaugural State of UHC Commitment, which aims to provide a multi-stakeholder consolidated view on the state of progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and the political commitments to PMNCH’s key COVID-19 Call to Action asks announced in July.
The summit takes place one day before the UHC Day on 12 December, which every year marks the anniversary of the first unanimous UN resolution calling for all nations to provide affordable, quality healthcare for all of their citizens. This year, UHC advocates will demand action on universal health coverage, which is critical for our lives, our livelihoods and our future.
More on speakers and agenda soon!
REGISTER HERE

The 50th Anniversary of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women Report
2020-12-07 15:00 - 16:30
The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell Lieutenant Governor of Ontario invites you to join her for an important dialogue on the afternoon of Monday, December 7, 2020 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada report and ensuring the unfinished business of equality of women and girls.
Moderator:

Lisa Laflamme, OC, OOnt Ms. Laflamme is a Canadian television journalist, and currently the chief anchor and senior editor of CTV National News. She is trailblazer for women in Canadian news broadcasting, covering some of the biggest stories of the times.
Panelists:
The Honourable Monique Bégin, PC, OC, FRSC Dr. Monique Bégin was executive secretary for the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada. She was declared the first woman from Quebec to be elected to the House of Commons, followed by Jeanne Sauvé and Albanie Morin and held the first Joint Chair in Women’s Studies at Carlton and the University of Ottawa.
Ms. Maureen O’Neil, OC Ms.O’Neil is the former President of the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement, was President of the International Development Research Centre, lead Status of Women Canada and represented Canada on the UN Commission on the Status Women.
Ms. Lorna Marsden, CM, OOnt Canadian sociologist, academic, and former politician Ms. Marsden is the former President and Vice-Chancellor of both Wilfrid Laurier University and York University, she is also a former senator.
The Honourable Jean Augustine, PC, CM, OOnt, CBE Jean Augustine was the first Black Canadian woman elected to the Parliament of Canada and served three terms as Chair of the National Liberal Women’s Caucus. Ms. Augustine has contributed to Canada’s official multiculturalism policy, and in 2008 the Jean Augustine Chair in Education was established at York University.
Roberta L. Jamieson, OC Roberta Jamieson is Mohawk and current president and CEO of Indspire. She was the first First Nation woman in Canada to earn a law degree; the first woman Ombudsman of Ontario; and the first woman elected Chief of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory.
REGISTER HERE

50 Years of the Status of Women Report: Looking Back to Move Forward
2020-12-07 10:30 - 12:30
Join the Department of Women and Gender Equality Canada (WaGE) and the Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH) as we mark the 50th Anniversary of the Report of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women and chart the path forward for the next 50 years.
In 1967 the Royal Commission on the Status of Women was mandated “to inquire into and report upon the status of women in Canada, and to recommend what steps might be taken by the Federal Government to ensure for women equal opportunities with men in all aspects of Canadian society.” Following consultations with women from coast-to-coast-to-coast, the release of the report in 1970 marked a milestone in the Canadian feminist movement.
This intergenerational event will take stock of the past 50 years, celebrating the progress of trailblazers and changemakers while acknowledging the challenges faced, and then look to the future as we collectively imagine what it will take to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women in the next 50 years.
This virtual gathering will be presented in English and French with simultaneous translation offered through Interactio. We recommend downloading the app Interactio! You can also listen through your computer browser by going to app.interactio.io. Enter the event token canwach20, plug in your headphones, and select the language of your choice.
REGISTER HERE
Speakers
The Past 50 Years: Featuring trailblazing women who overcame roadblocks, influenced policy and fought for the empowerment of all women
Hazel McCallion
Hazel McCallion is a Canadian politician and businesswoman who served as the third mayor of Mississauga, Ontario, from 1978 until 2014. She is the longest serving City mayor in Canada and has kept the city debt-free since her first term of office. She is the first and current Chancellor of Sheridan College. In 1991 she became the first mayor to submit their city’s budget to public participation. McCallion, long a champion of health care, led the drive to build Trillium Health Partners’ (THP) Credit Valley Hospital site in 1976. She was a successful candidate in 12 municipal elections, having been acclaimed twice and re-elected 10 other times. Her supporters gave her the nickname “Hurricane Hazel” because of her outspoken political style. She is a member of the Order of Canada.
Lynn Zimmer
Lynn Zimmer recently retired from her 35-year position as Executive Director of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, a multi-service women’s equality-seeking organization that provides a continuum of services for women and children who have experienced poverty and abuse. In 1973 she was one of the founders of Interval House, Toronto, Canada’s first shelter for women fleeing domestic abuse. She is a member of the federal Advisory Council on the Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence, and is a Mentor with the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation. Zimmer was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada (2019) for her contributions to protecting victims of violence and for her advocacy for women’s rights.
Roberta L. Jamieson
O.C., I.P.C., LL.B., LL.D. (Hon)
Roberta Jamieson has been described as a “constructive disrupter of the status quo.” Prime Minister Trudeau appointed her to the inaugural Gender Equality Advisory Council of the G7, to embed gender equality in decisions made by the world’s seven most advanced economies. Roberta was most recently President and CEO of Indspire, Canada’s largest Indigenous charity, which funds the education of Indigenous post-secondary students and informs Canadians about Indigenous achievements. During her time there, Indspire distributed $132 million in bursaries and scholarships to Indigenous students across Canada. Roberta Jamieson also accomplished a number of firsts in the fight for gender equality. She was Canada’s first First Nations woman to earn a law degree, the first female Ombudsman in Ontario and the first woman to be Chief of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. She has been awarded 27 honourary degrees and is an Officer of the Order of Canada.

The Honourable Audrey McLaughlin
Audrey McLaughlin was the Federal Member of Parliament for the Yukon from 1987 to 1997. She served as Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada from 1989-1995, the first woman elected to lead a federal party in Canada. In 2004, she received the Order of Canada. In addition to the publication of numerous articles, her book “ A Woman’s Place, My Life and Politics” was published in 1992. From 1996-1999, she was President of Socialist International Women and, as President, worked on all continents with women from member parties. She was also a Vice President of Socialist International and a member of the Global Progress Commission from 1989-1999. International involvement included teaching in Ghana, West Africa from 1964-1967 and volunteering with a women’s organization in Barbados developing micro economic projects in Barbados, West Indies in 1986. Ms. McLaughlin worked as program director in Morocco and as Director of programs in Bahrain for the National Democratic Institute.
Marion Buller
Marion Buller is a member of the Mistawasis Nehiyawak, a Cree First Nation in Saskatchewan. She started her legal career as a lawyer, practicing in criminal, administrative and human rights law. She was the Commission Counsel for the Cariboo-Chilcotin Justice Inquiry. She was Director and President of the Indigenous Bar Association. Ms. Buller was the first Indigenous woman appointed as a Provincial Court Judge in BC. She founded the First Nations Court and provided the foundation for the Indigenous Family Court. These are courts that consider the special circumstances of Indigenous people. Ms. Buller was appointed as the Chief Commissioner for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. This was a precedent-setting and truly national inquiry. The National Inquiry’s strongly-worded Final Report and Calls for Justice have attracted both national and international attention.
Dr. Roberta Bondar
The world’s first neurologist in space, Dr. Roberta Bondar is globally recognized for her pioneering contributions to space medicine research, fine art photography and environment education. For over a decade after her spaceflight, she headed an international research team working with NASA on neurological symptoms seen after spaceflight, and their connections to neurological diseases on Earth. She is the author of four best selling books featuring her writing and photography. Dr. Bondar’s distinctions are: Companion of the Order of Canada, the Order of Ontario, the NASA Space Medal, induction into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame and into the International Women’s Forum’s Hall of Fame, 28 honorary doctorates from Canadian and American Universities, Chancellor of Trent University 2003-2009, six Canadian schools in her name, a Specially Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, an Honorary Fellow and Honorary Vice-president of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and her own star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.
The Honourable Jean Augustine
Jean Augustine made history as the first Black Woman elected to Canada’s Parliament and served from 1993-2006. Her legislative successes include the historic Black History Month Motion; and the ground-breaking Famous Five Motion, which authorized the first and still the only statues on Parliament Hill depicting women – other than Queen Elizabeth. From 2007 to 2015, she served as Ontario’s first-ever Fairness Commissioner. In 2008, the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora was launched at York University to help advance education, equity and inclusiveness. Also in her name are a Girls’ Leadership Academy in Scarborough; a Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment and a municipal park in Etobicoke; a Secondary School in Brampton, and a multi-purpose complex and district park in Vaughan. A member of the Order of Canada and Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Jean Augustine holds honourary doctorates from the universities of McGill, Toronto, York, Windsor, Waterloo, Guelph, and Trent.
Bonnie Brayton
A recognized leader in both the feminist and disability movements, Bonnie Brayton has been the National Executive Director of the DisAbled Women’s Network (DAWN) Canada since May 2007. In this role, she has proven herself as a formidable advocate for women with disabilities here in Canada and internationally. During her tenure with DAWN Canada, Ms. Brayton has worked diligently to highlight key issues that impact the lives of women and girls with disabilities. From 2016 to 2019, Ms. Brayton served as a member of Minister’s Advisory Council on Gender-Based Violence (WAGE) and was reappointed to a two year term. Earlier in 2020, Bonnie was appointed by The Honourable Carla Qualtrough to Covid-19 Disability Advisory Group (CDAG) and will continue to serve as part of the DAG. Bonnie was also appointed to be part of Gender and Trade Advisory Group.
Kathleen Wynne
Kathleen Wynne was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 2003 as the MPP for Don Valley West. She was Ontario’s 25th Premier and leader of the Ontario Liberal Party January, 2013 to June 2018. Kathleen has dedicated her professional life to building a better province for the people of Ontario. She is guided by the values and principles that knit this province together: fairness, diversity, collaboration and creativity. Kathleen has served as Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Minister of Transportation, Minister of Education and Minister of Agriculture and Food. As the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Kathleen finalized a new funding agreement with the federal government to improve access to affordable housing.
Aditi Sivakumar
Aditi is a medical student and a passionate advocate for gender equality, with a focus on ending gender-based violence. Aditi founded the “My Empowerment (ME) Packs” which are wellness kits containing comprehensive resource booklets for youth facing homelessness and women facing violence. She created “Everyday Essential Express”, a contactless delivery service for domestic violence shelters across the Ottawa-region during the pandemic. She is also creating the “My Empowerment Platform”, a web application for women and girls facing violence in Canada. She was selected by the Duke of Edinburgh International Award Canada to facilitate a lunch regarding gender equality in the workplace with HRH the Countess of Wessex and was invited to speak to HRH Prince William at Kensington Palace about her work. She is a 25×25 She Decides Young Leader, a 2020 Women Deliver Young Leader and was the only Canadian to receive the 2019 Princess Diana Legacy Award.
The Next 50 Years: A youth perspective on current challenges and action for the next five decades
Ishita Aggarwal
Ishita Aggarwal completed an Honours Bachelor of Science at the University of Toronto and a Master of Public Health at Western University. She is currently a first-year medical student at Queen’s University. She has a keen interest in health and human rights, gender equality, and social sustainability. In April 2016, Ishita founded MOM’S THE WORD (MTW), a sexual and maternal health community organization. MTW hosts free prenatal workshops for homeless and low-income pregnant women and advises sexual assault and rape victims on available community resources. To date, MTW has provided aid to thousands of marginalized girls and women. For her work, Ishita has been named a Top 30 Under 30 Sustainability Leader, Top 25 Canadian Immigrant, Queen’s Young Leader, L’Oréal Paris Woman of Worth, and Top 25 Women of Influence, among others. In her spare time, Ishita enjoys reading, writing, and exploring her city’s art and food scene.
Mukisa Kakembo
Mukisa is a student at Dalhousie’s Schulich School of Law interested in advancing the protection of human rights and access to justice. She is on the board of directors of the Delmore ‘Buddy’ Daye Learning Institute, and co-chair of their first Black Youth Advisory Council. The council shares their experiences with the local education system to identify systemic barriers and challenges youth face to provide the board with advice on how to better support African Nova Scotian learners. Kakembo was awarded the Pink Larkin Internship in 2019, a summer internship in law for a first-year diversity student. She spent her summer working at the Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia, a local non-profit organization that engages with vulnerable women to foster personal empowerment and address the root causes of criminalization. Her goal going into her internship was to learn to advocate for human rights. “As a student in the Indigenous Blacks and Mik’maq Initiative, I want to use my future legal career to work on issues of equality and equity, to meaningfully support my community.”
Kakembo achieved her goal and more. “My internship gave me the opportunity to provide legal support for women in Nova Scotia and advocate for the rights of diverse cis and LGBTQ+ women. I gained experience in the field of prison law, criminal law, civil law and family law. It was a unique opportunity to work with clients and support them through some of the most difficult circumstances of their life. It was an emotional, yet very empowering journey.
Fae Johnstone
Fae Johnstone (they/she) is a Principal Consultant with Wisdom2Action Consulting Ltd. (W2A), based on Algonquin territory (Ottawa, ON). Fae is a sought-after 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion and Gender-Based Violence expert, writer and organizer. With W2A, Fae has led local, provincial and national initiatives focused on 2SLGBTQ+ communities, mental health, gender-based violence and other important issues. Fae currently serves on the board of directors of Kind Space and the Ontario Youth Suicide Prevention Leadership Committee. Fae was the 2019 recipient of the LGBT Youth Line Trans Activism award. Last but certainly not least, Fae is known for her deep love of ferrets and her involvement with the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa. Find her on Twitter: @FaeJohnstone.
Erika Dupuis
Erika is a practicing registered Social Worker in the greater Toronto area and is a continuing education student at New York University and is a recent graduate of the Master of Social Work program at Ryerson University. Erika is particularly interested in the intersections between food justice, harm reduction, and sexual and reproductive health and autonomy with a youth lens. In all endeavours, Erika strives towards ensuring that policies are accessible to those most affected by their shortcomings by exploring how young people can work together locally and globally to achieve equitable and sustainable outcomes.
Erika currently sits as the Country Coordinator of the Canadian chapter of the International Youth Alliance for Family Planning, an international NGO that works to support and expand upon adolescent and youth sexual health education across the globe. As well, Erika is currently Vice-Chair of the Toronto Youth Food Policy Council and is an alumnus of the Toronto Youth Cabinet. Erika currently sits on the Board of Directors for Charlie’s FreeWheels and the Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
Nikki Fraser
Nikki Fraser is an Indigenous advocate from Kamloops, B.C. Canada. She started Uniting Our Voices, a platform working for and towards inclusion and equality by creating a space for more Indigenous voices to be heard, to build connections, and inspire more changemakers through stories and her engagements. She is involved in Indigenous research and advocacy through a gender-sensitive lens. Nikki is apart of the United Nations Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals for the United Nations Youth Envoy, a student at Thompson Rivers University and was one of Flare Magazine’s 50+ women #HowIMadeit 2019/2020 list.

International Volunteer Day
2020-12-05
The International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development (5 December), more commonly referred to as International Volunteer Day (IVD), is an international observance mandated by the UN General Assembly in 1985. It offers an opportunity for volunteer-involving organizations and individual volunteers to promote volunteerism, encourage governments to support volunteer efforts and recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local, national and international levels.

Business for Gender Equality 2020
2020-12-02 12:00 - 18:00
Business for Gender Equality 2020 is an interactive virtual forum designed to showcase outstanding action, help break barriers, and fast-forward gender equality progress in the Canadian private sector.
Global Compact Network Canada (GCNC) will be hosting this collective experience to mark the culmination of GCNC’s 3-year project, Gender Equality Leadership in the Canadian Private Sector. Business for Gender Equality: A forum to fast-forward progress in the Canadian private sector is set to take place on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020 from 12 pm-6 pm EST and will cover the topics outlined in the Blueprint for Gender Equality and the Maturity Model, a new set of tools created by GCNC in collaboration with the private sector for organizations looking to advance gender equality and improve workplace diversity and inclusion. The forum will also reflect more broadly on the status of gender equality and as well as discuss the ways that COVID-19 is impacting gender equality and workplace inclusion.
Get Your Tickets

Virtual Town Hall: Our Community, Working Together
2020-12-02 12:00 - 13:00
Cuso International is proud of the thousands of Canadian volunteers who’ve committed their time and skills to combat poverty and inequality around the world.
As we approach International Volunteer Day, we want to celebrate you and your contributions to vulnerable communities.
Please join us for a special Virtual Town Hall on December 2nd, where you’ll hear from distinguished guests and alumni on the impact volunteerism has had on global citizenship, public engagement, sustainable and healthier communities.
Karina Gould, the Honourable Minister of International Development will join the conversation.
Language: English
Register

Virtual Town Hall: Our Community, Working Together
2020-12-02 12:00 - 13:00
Cuso International is proud of the thousands of Canadian volunteers who’ve committed their time and skills to combat poverty and inequality around the world.
As we approach International Volunteer Day, we want to celebrate you and your contributions to vulnerable communities.
Please join us for a special Virtual Town Hall on December 2nd, where you’ll hear from distinguished guests and alumni on the impact volunteerism has had on global citizenship, public engagement, sustainable and healthier communities.
Karina Gould, the Honourable Minister of International Development will join the conversation.
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.
REGISTER HERE

Micro-Learning #2: FIT’s Rapid Gender Scan
2020-12-02 11:30 - 12:30
FIT is hosting a second Micro-Learning session: “FIT’s Rapid Gender Scan” on December 2nd at 10:30 am CST.
This session aims to enhance understanding of how to integrate gender into the testing environment through the use of FIT’s Rapid Gender Scan tool (RGS). The RGS is a gender analysis framework that helps you capture essential information about gender roles and responsibilities, capacities and vulnerabilities. It was designed to be used in situations where time is limited and resources to conduct the work are scarce.
The session will cover:

Gender integration for the testing environment
Introduction to FIT’S Rapid Gender Scan approach and tool
Information about FIT’s other gender equality resources
Breakout room session to practice using the RGS tool

Who should attend?

SMOs applying for or interested in applying for FIT funding
Any organization working in an innovation environment or a rapidly changing environment (e.g. COVID-19).

Register here
