CanWaCH

International Francophonie Day
2021-03-20
March 20 is International Francophonie Day. Each year, several activities are organized around the world to promote the French language and its cultural expressions. In Canada, French has been part of the country’s identity and cultural richness since its creation. A good reason to celebrate!

Presentation - COVID-19 Dialogue and Solutions Groups
2021-03-19 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Toronto)
You are cordially invited to attend a presentation with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and its Canadian partners on the achievements of the COVID-19 Dialogue and Solutions groups over the last year.
As March 11 marks the 1-year anniversary of the pandemic as declared by WHO and March 16 the date that Canada issued its first travel restrictions, this session is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the COVID-19 Dialogue and Solutions groups and to share our collaborative work and progress to date.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, GAC and its Canadian international development partners have been working closely together to explore how best to facilitate programming activities in the field during these challenging times. To coordinate these efforts, GAC and its partners have launched consultative groups to discuss financial and process challenges faced by the sector and identify short-term flexibilities to support project implementation during the pandemic. Both the COVID-19 Dialogue and Solutions groups have met regularly since Spring 2020.
This collaboration has resulted in concrete changes to help Canadian partners implement projects and contribute to Canada’s response to COVID-19. These measures are published on the GAC website: Guidance on Eligibility of COVID-19 Potential Costs and an Update for Canada’s international development sector: Progress of COVID-19 Dialogue and Solutions Groups during the pandemic was also shared with the sector last Fall.
This presentation will provide an update on the achievements of the COVID-19 Dialogue and Solutions groups so far, and an exchange on good practices/lessons learned from the sector representatives, as well as their reflections on their experience as members of these consultative groups. Simultaneous interpretation (English/French) will be available, and participants are invited to contribute in the language of their choice.
In preparation for this session, you are welcome to submit a question in advance. Please register today.
We look forward to seeing you on March 19!
This event is brought to you by the COVID-19 Dialogue Group and Solutions Group, comprised of representatives from the sector and Global Affairs Canada:

Networks represented in the Dialogue Group: Cooperation Canada, the Canadian Association of International Development Professionals (CAIDP), Climate Action Network Canada, the Inter-Council Network (ICN), and the Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH).
Organizations represented in the Solutions Group: Aga Khan Foundation Canada, Alinea International, Atlantic Council for International Cooperation, CanWaCH, the Canadian Red Cross, CARE Canada, Cooperation Canada, Cowater International, Cuso International, the ICN, iDE Canada, Manitoba Council for International Cooperation, Oxfam Québec, Project Services International, and the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation.

Understanding Gender Equality Through Mixed Methods
2021-03-17 11:00 - 12:00
In this session, facilitators and participants will explore specific strategies, both quantitative and qualitative, in regards to measuring gender dynamics, and women’s empowerment. Facilitators will explore femininist methodologies in practice; particularly, the specific opportunities and challenges that come with utilizing mixed methods in an increasingly virtual context. Facilitators will reflect on the supports (capacity, partnership, resources) needed to ensure the robust collection and use of mixed data. Discussants will share, and discuss how these processes are critical to understanding complex environments and issues. This conversation directly leverages contributions from the Canadian Collaborative for Global Health.
Speaker Facilitators

University of Manitoba – Elsabe du Plessis
Bruyère Research Institute – Alison Riddle
Plan International Canada – Rudy Broers
Mark Urassa – National Institute for Medical Research in Tanzania

REGISTER HERE

Mediastyle Masterclass: Expand Your Communications Toolbox
2021-03-12 12:00 - 13:30, 2021-02-26 12:00 - 13:30, 2021-02-12 12:00 - 13:30
Our team has managed media relations for large events and trained dozens of organizations. We’re ready to share some of our secrets.

About this Event

For the first time ever, we’re hosting a masterclass series focused on expanding your communications toolbox. This will be offered as an online extension of the work we do in the Commons, our social communications lab.
These remote training sessions will be held over the lunch hour on Fridays and are perfect for those looking to sharpen their approaches as we enter a post-pandemic world.

Feb. 12: Is the Press Release Dead?
Feb. 26: 5 Missing Pieces from Your Comms Strategy
Mar. 12: Is Anyone Listening? Member and Audience Engagement
Mar. 26: Finding your Brand Voice

How might we design better SRH/MNH programs to prevent preterm birth in LMICs? Insights from the Born on Time Study
2021-03-11 11:00 - 12:00
This webinar will highlight implementation research findings from Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Mali, exploring the impact of lifestyle, infections, inadequate nutrition and lack of contraception on the prevention of preterm birth.
The session will be moderated by Jim Litch, MD, DTMH, Executive Director and Chief Research Officer at Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS).
REGISTER HERE
Panelists include:
* Nandita Kapadia-Kundu, PhD. MA, Senior Researcher, Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs
* Zoé Mistrale Hendrickson, PhD, Assistant Scientist, Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs
* Amanuel Gidebo, MD, MPH, Technical Specialist, MNCH/Nutrition and Born on Time Health Working Group Lead, World Vision Canada
* Dilys Walker, MD, Director of Global Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Research, Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco

365 days of a Pandemic: Virtual Practice Implications for Canadian Partners
2021-03-11 11:00 - 12:00
Building on the findings and recommendations of the CanWaCH 100 days of a Pandemic report (June 2020), and held on the 1 year anniversary of the WHO declaration of the pandemic, CanWaCH will focus specifically on how Canadian organizations have adapted, and continue to adapt, monitoring, evaluation, and research practices in a virtual context. This session will include updated insights from Canadian partners on the strategies they are using and lessons learned, as well as a discussion on how ‘reporting on results’ has changed or evolved.
REGISTER HERE

Roundtable on mental health in a global context
2021-03-10 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual, Canada
COVID-19’s effects reach beyond our physical health. The isolation, the loneliness, and the fear we’ve been living with for nearly a year now are causing one of the worst mental health crises of our lifetime.
You are invited to attend CanWaCH’s first roundtable on mental health in a global context. In partnership with Grand Challenges Canada and moderated by our very own Julia Anderson, CEO of CanWaCH, we will bring together a group of experts to discuss global mental health.
Mental health is one of the least addressed global health issues. Join us in tuning in to this panel on global mental health to explore how we can change that.
If you would like to learn more and receive updates about this roundtable, please RSVP here.
It’s time our sector takes collective action. #PledgeToBeThere

A Gender Equal Future: Women Leading Change
2021-03-08 12:00 - 13:00
Join Care Canada as we listen, learn from and amplify the voices of women leaders in Canada and around the world.
When women lead, change ripples on through communities and generations. We’re inviting women leaders in Canada and around the world to share not only their vision for a more equal, more resilient world but to amplify the voices and ideas of other women. Start your International Women’s Day with us, hearing from the women and allies who are leading the charge.
A Gender-Equal Future: Women Leading Change will feature a panel discussion with women leading in diverse settings, including Judy Sikuza, CEO of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation in South Africa, Wangechi Wachira, Executive Director of the Centre for Rights Education & Awareness (CREAW) in Kenya, and Dr. Martha Piper, former President & Vice-Chancellor, University of British Columbia (UBC), former CARE Canada Board member and passionate advocate of our work. Moderated by award winning Canadian television and radio journalist, Gloria Macarenko.
REGISTER HERE

The Lancet Series on Maternal & Child Undernutrition Progress
2021-03-08 09:00 - 11:00
Nutrition has risen significantly on the global agenda in the last decade, spurred in part by the findings from the first Lancet Series on Maternal and Child Undernutrition in 2008. The follow-on Series in 2013 came at a critical time alongside the Nutrition for Growth event in London. The growth of the SUN Movement, the past Nutrition for Growth convenings and five consecutive Global Nutrition Reports have also served to energize nutrition stakeholders, broaden a coalition of champions and, most importantly, generate new investments in the sector.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected nearly every sector in the world, hitting low- and middle-income countries and leaving many vulnerable populations at greater risk to the threats of malnutrition. The Series serves as an important milestone moment to inform the nutrition community and re-energize champions to propel the nutrition agenda forward into 2021, the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Year of Action, a roadmap of key events throughout the year. The Year of Action will culminate in the UN Food Systems Summit in September 2021 and the Tokyo N4G Summit in December 2021.
We will hear from the following Lancet authors and nutrition champions (in order of appearance):

Dr. Ellen Piwoz, Moderator
Dr. Robert E. Black, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Dr. Cesar Victora, International Center for Equity in Health, Federal University of Pelotas
Dr. Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, Centre for Global Child Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto; Institute for Global Health & Development, The Aga Khan University
Dr. Rebecca Heidkamp, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Dr. Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant of the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection
Dr. Meera Shekar, Global Lead, Health, Nutrition & Population at The World Bank
Dr. Ruth Oniang’o, Founder, Rural Outreach Africa
Shawn Baker, Chief Nutritionist, United States Agency for International Development

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Canadian Survivors Speak!-Female Genital Mutilation & Health Professionals
2021-03-06 16:30 - 17:30
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) is an important Canadian issue which health professionals and students in Canada need to be informed about.
Unofficial estimates indicate we have more than 100,000 survivors of FGM/C in Canada from more than 50 countries, and possibly thousands of girsl at risk.
How do you care for survivors? How do you protect girls at risk?
Join the conversation-listen to survivors speak and hear about best practices from survivors themselves as well as medical professionals.
REGISTER HERE
If you are a health professional or student in the medical, nursing, midwifery social work, mental health fields interested in learning more about caring for survivors of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting and protecting girls at risk, this is for you!
Join the End FGM Canada Network and Memorial University Medical Students for this free Webinar.
We will explore the opportunities, challenges, and obligations facing Canadian doctors, nurses, midwives, psychologists and others when caring for survivors or protecting girls at risk.
The Sponsors:
The End FGM/C Canada Network, which is a non-partisan advocacy group of individuals and civil socity organizations working to end female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) both in Canada and internationally. We focus on urging the Canadian government to acknowledge that FGM/C is an issue here too, and urge our government to create a National Action Plan to support survivors and to protect girls at risk.
Memorial University Medical Students who are concerned about FGM/C as an important Canadian issue.
The Speakers:
Souad Gulaid is an FGM activist. She is passionate about eradicating FGM because it is gender based violence and a human rights violation. As a Canadian FGM survivor she realized there was nowhere for affected women to go, so she created a private group on facebook where FGM survivors would have a safe and compassionate outlet for candid, open discussions about their experiences, thereby creating a direly needed community where women felt less alone. She holds a human resources management undergraduate degree from YorkU and currently works for the government of Canada.
Farzana Doctor is a writer, activist, psychotherapist and survivor of female genital mutilation/cutting. She is a co-founder of WeSpeakOut, a global group that is working to ban female genital cutting in her Dawoodi Bohra community. She is also the author of Dear Maasi, a column addressing questions about how female genital cutting impacts a woman’s body, mind, sexuality and relationships.
Maryam Sheikh is a human rights campaigner. She has worked at the grassroots and national policy levels to combat gender-based violence in her native Kenya. In 2019, Maryam came to Canada to save her daughter from female genital mutilation/cutting. She is an FGM/C survivor who uses her pain to help end this human rights abuse. She has done much work de-linking FGM/C from Islam. Maryam recently received a Master’s degree in Anthropology from Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Dr. Angela Deane is an obstetrician gynecologist with a special interest in caring for survivors of FGM/C. She is working to improve the medical care of FGM/C survivors in Canada through education and multidisciplinary collaboration within the healthcare system. Angela is mentored by Dr.Marci Bowers (California, USA) and in 2019 worked with an international team in Kenya on a 2-week medical mission performing clitoral restoration surgery for Kenyan survivors of FGM/C.
Moderator:
Petronila Michael is a moderator and public speaker who is passionate about human rights. For over ten years she has facilitated events in the areas of education, career advancement and gender equality. She is no stranger to the topic of female genital mutilation/cutting. She has moderated several screenings around Canada with high level international panels of the documentary In The Name Of Your Daughter about Tanzanian girls who risk their lives to save themselves from FGM/C. In 2019, she facilitated a one-day event at Vancouver’s Women Deliver conference with FGM/C activists from around the world.

Integrating equity in maternal and child health projects: Experiences from IMCHA
2021-03-04 09:30 - 10:30
Equity-informed research contributes to strengthening health systems and proposing solutions to make health accessible to all. Researchers from the Innovating for Maternal and Child Health (IMCHA) initiative will share their experience on how they applied an equity lens to their implementation research project. Key concepts and terminologies, including equality vs equity, intersectionality and social determinants of health, will also be clarified. Join us on March 4th, 9h30 EST, to learn more and discuss equity in health research.
The event will be available in English and French. Join here.

Reuse and Recycle: Practical Guidance on Maximizing Existing Data
2021-03-02 10:00 - 11:00
Creative, virtual data management processes are more critical than ever, as the COVID-19 pandemic has affected access, quality, and availability of global health data for CSOs and partners. In conversation with global expert facilitators, we invite you to this participatory dialogue to explore emerging practices in maximizing existing data, rather than, or in addition to, collecting new data. Facilitators will share their experiences and research in modelling, leveraging public data sets (DHS, MCIS), and data sharing between partners.
Speaker Facilitators:

Countdown to 2030 – Ties Boerma
HealthBridge Foundation of Canada – Peter Berti
University of Montreal – Milena Nardocci
African Population Health and Research Center

REGISTER HERE

World NGO Day
2021-02-27
The universal concept of the World NGO Day is to Celebrate, Commemorate and Collaborate – the various NGOs around the world, and the people behind them that contribute to society all year around.
World NGO Day is to inspire people to become more actively involved within NGO sector and encourage a greater symbiosis between NGOs and both the public and private sector.
World NGO Day is an international calendar day annually observed on 27 February.

Beyond Beijing+25
2021-02-26 09:00 - 10:30
Join DAWN Canada on February 26 , 2021 at 9 am Eastern Standard Time for a virtual public engagement called Beyond Beijing +25: an intersectional approach to engaging civil society on girls, women, trans and gender non-conforming folks with disabilities.

In this discussion we will analyze how systemic oppressions (ableism, racism, colonialism, sexism, heteropatriarchy and other system of oppression) shape the lives of Indigenous, racialized, rural, and gender diverse girls, women, trans and gender non-conforming folks with disabilities. This conversation is meant to centre the margins: those living at the intersection of multiple oppressions.
DAWN Canada will be joined by a group of esteemed international panelists who will speak from their lived-experiences of systemic oppressions as well as share their visions for solutions to address societal oppressions and barriers from an intersectional perspective.
Register
Confirmed panelists:
Nidhi Goyal, disability justice activist and co-founder of Rising Flame, India
Mildred Omino, Gender and Disability Rights activist who advocates for the sexual and reproductive health rights of girls and women with disabilities, Kenya
Sarah Jama, Social Justice activist and co-Founder Disability Justice Network of Ontario, Canada
Ravyn Wngz, African, Bermudian, Mohawk, 2Spirit, queer transcendent individual and member of the Toronto Black Lives Matter (BLM-TO) Steering Committee
Moderated by : Nelly Bassily, Director of Youth Initiatives and International Relations at DAWN Canada.
The panel will be given in English with English CART Captioning and ASL interpretation, for all other language and accessibility needs, please fill out the registration form.

Advocacy skills webinar series: getting LTEs and op-eds published
2021-02-23 19:00 - 20:00
Results Canada is hosting an interactive, year-long webinar series that will help equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to be an active advocate for eradicating poverty worldwide.
Whether you’re new to advocacy or a seasoned Results volunteer, you will benefit from topics following two broad streams: skills expansion and issues knowledge.
Join us for the second webinar of our series! This webinar will be focused on developing your skills in getting letters to the editor (LTEs) and op-eds published.
Here is what you can expect to learn:
– Refresher on our EPIC method for effectively communicating
– Why getting LTEs and op-eds are a powerful advocacy tactic
– How to go about getting LTEs and op-eds published
There will be time to interact with other participants, plus a question and answer period to wrap it all up. We hope you will leave feeling refreshed and motivated to get started on your own LTE or op-ed.
*Disclaimer: this webinar will be recorded and the recording will be shared with attendees and others unable to join. The webinar is in English but you can ask your questions in French.
Register today!

World Day of Social Justice
2021-02-20
Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. We uphold the principles of social justice when we promote gender equality, or the rights of indigenous peoples and migrants. We advance social justice when we remove barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability.
For the United Nations, the pursuit of social justice for all is at the core of our global mission to promote development and human dignity. The adoption by the International Labour Organization of the Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization is just one recent example of the UN System’s commitment to social justice. The Declaration focuses on guaranteeing fair outcomes for all, through employment, social protection, social dialogue, and fundamental principles and rights at work.

Building Better Family-Friendly Workplaces in the Age of COVID & Beyond
2021-02-17 12:00 - 13:00
In this online session, we will dig into the following questions:

What support do children and families need from businesses before, during and after COVID-19, and how can these needs be met?

What are the challenges to implementing family-friendly policies such as paid parental leave, access to affordable childcare, and flexible working arrangements and how can we overcome them?

How are companies in the U.S. and Canada are tackling these difficult issues both at headquarters and throughout their value chains?

How can taking a child rights approach to family friendly policies benefit both working families and business?

We will hear perspectives from:

Tolu Lawrence, Vice President of Strategic Growth and Engagement, Promundo-US, steering committee member of the Parental Leave Corporate Taskforce & PL+US Board Member
Julie Sutton, Senior Director Government Affairs and Global Impact, VF Corporation (home to brands including Vans®, The North Face®, Timberland® and Dickies®)
Ayman Alvi, Director of Global Benefits, Scotiabank

International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers
2021-02-12

Learn how to enhance demand for civil registration services through training on communication for development
2021-02-11 13:00 - 15:00
Join us for our free virtual training series on communication for development developed for practitioners and experts seeking to enhance public demand for civil registration services.

Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) communication has developed rapidly in the last decades, towards engaging and mobilizing communities and populations to find solutions to their problems and to become the promoters and owners of programmatic results. Promising results from areas such as health, reduction of harmful practices, local development, gender equity and others have proved that engaging communities and factoring in social norms, can help programs go way beyond what was possible with traditional communication programs, predominantly based on providing information.
This series of 3 training sessions is based on the newly developed handbook on “Civil Registration, Vital Statistics, Identity Management: Communication for Development targeting CRVS practitioners in LMICs” developed by the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD) with technical and financial support from the Centre of Excellence for CRVS Systems. The handbook provides guidance on the use of different tools to research, design, implement strategies and measure Social and Behavior Change/ Communication for Development.
This training series will introduce and prepare the participants on the use of the Social and Behavioral Change tools, develop an understanding and awareness of the objectives and value of behavioral change tools, and also open the discussion on opportunities and challenges, exploring the needs and interests for further training in the area.
TRAINING DATES:
11th February 2021 (13:00-15:00 Eastern Africa time)

Social and behavior change for effective Civil Registration and Vital Statistics

17th February 2021 (13:00-15:00 Eastern Africa time)

Factoring in social norms for results in Civil Registration and Vital Statistic programming

10th March 2021 (13:00-15:00 Eastern Africa time)

Communication for CRVS in conflict, emergencies, and fragile settings

The training will be in English with simultaneous translation in French. The presentation will be provided in English and French.
REGISTER HERE for one or more training sessions. To get the full training we encourage you to participate in all three sessions.

Visez les objectifs en 2021
2021-02-11 12:30 - 13:30
En cette Semaine du développement international, le monde est complètement différent de ce qu’il était il y a un an. Il en va de même pour le volontariat et le partenariat et comment nous pouvons nous soutenir les uns les autres, partager nos aptitudes et nos compétences.

Les volontaires canadien-ne-s et nos partenaires locaux en Afrique sont des agent-e-s de changement déterminé-e-s à travailler en collaboration depuis des décennies pour atteindre les objectifs indivisibles des Nations Unies. Bien sûr, la pandémie actuelle de COVID-19 a mis en difficulté les économies, les communautés et les organisations de la société civile d’une manière que nous n’avions jamais vue auparavant. Comment peut-on encore faire une différence, se concentrer sur les personnes, la prospérité, la planète, le partenariat et la paix pour construire UN SEUL MONDE?

JOIGNEZ-VOUS A NOS CONVERSATIONS
Engagez-vous avec nos volontaires canadien-ne-s le 11 février et nos partenaires africain-e-s le 10 février pour une assemblée virtuelle avec SACO, Cuso International, le Bureau international des droits de l’enfant, Oxfam Québec et World Renew alors qu’iels partagent leur travail et discutent de l’impact de la pandémie.

CONVERSATION – L’ÉGALITÉ, ÇA COMPTE – 11 FÉVRIER 2021

REJOIGNEZ-NOUS le 11 février de 12 h 30 à 13 h 30 pour une conversation avec trois volontaires de Carrefour pour apprendre comment les Canadien-ne-s continuent de créer un monde plus équitable et durable en engageant et en responsabilisant les individus, les organisations et les communautés par l’apprentissage mutuel, la solidarité et l’action collective malgré la COVID -19.
Que signifie être un-e citoyen-ne du monde? Comment les Canadien-ne-s peuvent-ils continuer à partager leurs compétences et s’engager à bâtir UN SEUL MONDE sans pauvreté, égalitaire et respectueux des droits des femmes et des filles?
Asseyez-vous, virtuellement, avec trois volontaires qui partageront leurs points de vue de la collaboration volontaire classique au volontariat électronique et au travail dans le pays en tant qu’expatrié-e.
Catherine Plante-Rodrigue – Étudiante en Coopération internationale à l’Université de Sherbrooke, Catherine a réalisé un mandat en ligne avec Carrefour Internationale en tant que Conseillère en agriculture et genre pour le projet de périmètres maraîchers des femmes de Darou au Sénégal, d’octobre 2020 à janvier 2021. Elle a également étudié l’agriculture urbaine, en coopération interculturelle et en gestion et intervention en loisir. En 2018, elle a travaillé en RDC-Congo sur une pièce de théâtre sociale contre les violences faites aux femmes et aux jeunes filles.
Caroline Aubry-Abel – Volontaire avec Carrefour d’août 2019 à mars 2020 en tant que Conseillère en égalité genre pour l’Agence nationale du volontariat au Togo. Elle a également dirigé un organisme québécois de prévention des violences à caractère sexuel et elle a été la présidente-fondatrice de l’Union étudiante du Québec qui représente aujourd’hui plus de 85 000 étudiant-e-s universitaires québécois-e-s.
Moustapha Dembele – Conseiller en appui à la programmation en Côte d’Ivoire pour Carrefour, il mesure au quotidien les défis et les succès des organisations de la société civile. Autodidacte, multidisciplinaire et désireux d’apprendre, il participe à la formulation et à la mise en œuvre de stratégies inclusives et durables en vue d’une justice sociale, et particulièrement autour des droits des femmes et des filles.
Posez vos questions sur les récompenses et les défis uniques du volontariat, de l’engagement et de la collaboration avec des partenaires et des communautés à l’étranger. Comme nous ne pouvons pas être physiquement ensemble, nous serons #Ensemblealamaison.

INSCRIVEZ-VOUS ICI

CSOCD59 Side Event: A Socially-Just COVID-19 Response for Youth
2021-02-11 08:30 - 11:00
59th Session of the UN Commission for Social Development (CSOCD59): Side-Event on A Socially-Just COVID-19 Response for Youth
DATE AND TIME: Thursday, February 11th from 8:30 am – 9:45 am(Eastern Standard Time)
CONTEXT:
With less than ten years to meet 169 sustainable development targets and even less time to meaningfully address the impending climate crisis, the 59th Session of the UN Commission for Social Development is a crucial opportunity to address the distinct needs of youth, compounded by new challenges around COVID-19.
The International Relations Students’ Association of McGill University (IRSAM) has identified the following themes around sustainable development with limited progress for youth: gaps in access to technology, a socially-just COVID-19 response, the role of technology in democracies, the criminalization of COVID-19 guidelines, as well as youth homelessness, child welfare and child protection.
Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, remote learning has become a common alternative in several countries where inadequate access to technology hinders learning outcomes and prevents youth from acquiring the technical skills that have become necessary globally. Disruptions to education and training, unemployment, and income loss have also increasingly impacted them due to a lack of distinct labour and social protection for youth—a group that has been historically vulnerable to labour exploitation. In particular, youth are over-represented in part-time, casual, contract informal and precarious work. As living costs have steadily risen during the pandemic, policymakers often overlook the lack of adequate employer-paid sick leave benefits and poor working conditions, favouring penalties for non-compliance with public health guidelines instead. Starkly high numbers of homeless youth represent the failure of eroding social protection systems that have disproportionately impacted the wellbeing of vulnerable groups.
OBJECTIVES:
Our proposed side event, titled: “A Socially Just COVID-19 Response for Youth” seeks to highlight and amplify the voices of youth and youth allies in multi-regional and multi-sectoral dimensions. It also seeks to increase awareness about the obstacles facing youth during the COVID-19 pandemic by presenting multiple perspectives on the topic and discussing how governments, organizations, and various institutions can respond to their needs.
The International Relations Students’ Association of McGill University (IRSAM) is joined by partners, the Center for Community Regeneration and Development and the African Center for Human Advancement, Social and Community Development as partners in hosting the event.
The objectives of the side event include:

To examine the rise and increase in issues facing youth during the pandemic globally through a multi-sectoral and multi-regional approach, including remarks from youth, regional development organizations, women’s rights organizations and other advocacy groups.
To outline the need for action concerning issues that disproportionately affect youth, including the mental health crisis, addiction, unemployment and labour exploitation, incarceration, homelessness, and inadequate and unaffordable access to healthcare.
To present and discuss approaches to addressing the challenges young people are increasingly experiencing during the pandemic, and to impel the importance of taking action in regions affected by COVID-19.

The outcomes of this event will include multi-stakeholder and multiregional collaboration amongst stakeholders in civil society on the challenges facing youth during this pandemic. In collectively articulating a socially just response to the pandemic that considers the distinct needs of youth, the event will aid in the review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups, specifically the World Programme of Action for Youth, and promote increased awareness of youth issues amongst attendees.
FORMAT
This event will take place during a 75-minute period and consist of an opening segment, remarks from each speaker, interactive discussions including participants and a short closing segment.
The tentative programme for this event will include remarks by Opeyemi Marcellina Aderinto – Executive Director for the African Centre for Human Advancement social and Community Development, Patrick Maloum – Coordinator at the African Network of Young Leaders For Peace and Sustainable Development, and Sahar Jafrani – Executive Director at the Youth Institute for Health & Development. These remarks will be followed by a presentation of Policy Recommendations by IRSAM Youth Advisory Delegation and a guided discussion session with participants on a socially-just COVID-19 response for youth.
In collectively articulating a socially just response to the pandemic that considers the distinct needs of youth, the event will aid in the review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups, specifically the World Programme of Action for Youth.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Julia Anderson is the Chief Executive Officer for the Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH). She has over 15 years of senior and executive-level experience in international development, not-for-profits, civil society, human rights and gender equality. Julia works closely with multiple stakeholders on international development policy-related issues, from Canadian and global decision-makers to young leaders. In 2019, Julia spearheaded the shaping of a renewed collective vision by Canada’s global health sector that resulted in a $14-billion, 10-year investment by the Government of Canada. As CanWaCH CEO, she continues to champion bold, innovative – and even disruptive – approaches to advancing the health and rights of women and girls around the world. Julia holds a Master of Arts degree in Canadian and Indigenous Studies from Trent University and an Executive Certificate in Conflict Management from the University of Windsor Law School. Julia grew up in Grande Prairie Alberta but now lives with her partner and five kids in Peterborough, Ontario.
Juliette Fazekas has been based in New Delhi since 2018. As Project Manager on Youth Advocacy, her work is to carry the voices of Youth on the international stage.
Maloum Patrick is an activist of human rights, writer, and a specialist on governance and peacebuilding programs. In 2017 he was awarded the Public Peace Prize in the category of committed in nonviolence and reconciliation. He is also the coordinator of the Pan-African network called the African Network of Young Leaders for Peace and Sustainable Development. Under the leadership of that platform, he coordinates the New Deal for Nature and People Coalition in Africa which is made up of about 500 organizations.
Opeyemi Marcellina Aderinto is one of Africa’s emerging young leaders and a speaker. As the Executive Director of the African Centre for Human Advancement, Social and Community Development and Business Development Manager at Dataworks Analytics and Consultancy Services, she promotes “the youth in me” and is driven by her passion for youth and community development. Prior to that she was the Country Director AFYIDEF, Former Registrar at ASDIR, also former Executive Assistant / Public Relations Officer to the Nigerian Representative of the African Union ECOSOCC and a Member of the Social Affairs Cluster of African Union Economic Social and Cultural Council. She was also an Assistant Lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, Dorben Polytechnic, Bwari Abuja from 2014 to 2018 and Cooperate Image DMFB as well as the Coordinator of Irish Academy of Public Relations in Dublin. She was also the Budget Manager, Peer to Peer Facebook Global Digital Challenge Project in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Opeyemi obtained a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Mass Communication and PGD from the National Open University of Nigeria, ND and HND from the Federal Polytechnic Offa Kwara state.
Sahar Jafrani is the Executive Director & Founder at the Institute for Youth Health and Development (IYHD), a young public health-focused non-profit organization that works to improve the health and wellbeing of racialized, immigrant, and newcomer young people through impactful programming, advocacy, engaging youth in research, knowledge translation, and innovation. She is an activist and internationally recognized multidisciplinary storyteller whose professional background outside of IYHD has included working across the public and private sectors with local, national, and global human rights organizations and at the intersections of technology and social impact.
CONTACT US
If you have any questions about the event or have accessibility needs, please contact Eyitayo Kunle-Oladosu at external@irsam.ca.
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International Day of Women and Girls in Science
2021-02-11
Science and gender equality are both vital for the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Over the past 15 years, the global community has made a lot of effort in inspiring and engaging women and girls in science. Yet women and girls continue to be excluded from participating fully in science.
At present, less than 30 per cent of researchers worldwide are women. According to UNESCO data (2014 – 2016), only around 30 per cent of all female students select STEM-related fields in higher education. Globally, female students’ enrolment is particularly low in ICT (3 per cent), natural science, mathematics and statistics (5 per cent) and in engineering, manufacturing and construction (8 per cent).
Long-standing biases and gender stereotypes are steering girls and women away from science related fields. As in the real world, the world on screen reflects similar biases—the 2015 Gender Bias Without Borders study by the Geena Davis Institute showed that of the onscreen characters with an identifiable STEM job, only 12 per cent were women.
In order to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, and further achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/70/212 declaring 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

Top 30 Under 30 Celebration
2021-02-10 20:00 - 21:00
This year, we will celebrate the 10th Annual Top 30 Under 30, featuring 30 accomplished youth from Alberta and around the world contributing towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Join the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation on February 10th, 2021 at 6:00 pm to celebrate the 2021 Top 30 Under 30! Sign up below to attend.

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Food Security: Building a Just, Sustainable Recovery Locally, Nationally, and Globally Part 2: National & Global Examples
2021-02-10 13:00 - 15:00
Join the International Development Program at Centennial College during International Development Week (IDW) on two sessions to discuss “Food Security: Building a Just, Sustainable Recovery Locally, Nationally, and Globally,” on Wednesday, February 10 @ 10:00 am-12:00 pm & 1:00-3:00 pm. Speakers from around the world and in Canada will examine local, national and global approaches to ending hunger, the effect of climate change on food, and what is needed to build a just and sustainable post-pandemic recovery.

Global Health Impact Exchange
2021-02-10 12:00 - 14:45, 2021-02-09 12:00 - 14:45
Join us for this one-of-a-kind virtual event over three days exploring three key, timely themes for success in the next era of Canadian leadership and investment in global health:
Innovation. Creativity. Diversity
CanWaCH’s annual flagship event has a new format and a program filled with high-profile Canadian speakers, stories and case studies from our members and learning opportunities for all audiences.
→ FREE REGISTRATION ←
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The program will celebrate learning and provide knowledge exchange opportunities in key areas, including new approaches to engaging Canadians and youth, gender transformative programming, innovative partnerships, leveraging data to demonstrate impact and more. Together we will explore how to be intentional about our innovation and to seek out strategies to disrupt with previously unimagined ways of doing things. We will leverage our creativity to tell stories of our work, our partners and our programs. We will actively pursue a diversity of voices and perspectives to strengthen the impact of our work
Why attend? The GHI-X will:
→ Seek to find ways to engage Canadians and decisions makers in this new digital norm
→ Explore innovative models to design effective programs in the next era of Canadian leadership in global health and international development
→ Feature stories from Canadians dedicated to advancing the health and lives of women and children around the world during a global pandemic
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Thank you to our partners.

Program undertaken with the financial support of Global Affairs Canada

Breakout!!! with the SDGs
2021-02-09 20:00 - 21:00
Do you know the Sustainable Development Goals well enough to make it out in time?
Join the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation and University of Calgary on February 9 for an evening of trivia and escape room fun!
You’ll be able to join a team with other participants to solve riddles, puzzles and challenges related to the Sustainable Development Goals, all from the comfort of your couch at home! You’ll be able to click and explore in different rooms, uncovering SDG-themed riddles in order to unlock doors, and escape before the timer runs out! The first team to escape wins bragging rights, along with an SDG care package!

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Go for the goals in 2021
2021-02-09 12:30 - 13:30
This International Development Week, the world looks completely different than it did a year ago. So too do volunteering and partnering and how we can support one another, share our skills and competences.

Canadian volunteers and our local partners in Africa have been agents of change committed to work collaboratively for decades to reach the UN indivisible goals. Of course, the current COVID-19 pandemic has challenged economies, communities, and civil society organizations in a way we have never seen before. How can they still make a difference, focus on people, prosperity, planet, partnership and peace to build ONE WORLD?

JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Engage with our Canadian volunteers on February 9th and our African partners on February 10th for a townhall with CESO, Cuso International, the International Bureau for Children’s Rights, Oxfam Quebec and World Renew as they share their work and discuss the impact of the pandemic.

EQUALITY MATTERS CONVERSATION – FEBRUARY 9, 2021

JOIN US on February 9th – 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm for a conversation with four Crossroads volunteers to learn how Canadians continue to create a more equitable and sustainable world by engaging and empowering individuals, organizations and communities through mutual learning, solidarity and collective action despite COVID-19.
What does it meant to be a Global Citizen? How can Canadians keep sharing their skills and be engaged to build ONE WORLD where poverty is eliminated, equality prevails and the rights of women and girls are fulfilled?
Sit down, virtually, with four volunteers who will share their perspectives from classic volunteer collaboration to e-volunteering and in country work as an expat. #TogetherApart
Caroline Aubry-Abel – Volunteer from August 2019 until March 2019, Caroline was a Gender Equality Advisor for the National Volunteering Agency in Togo. She has worked for a Quebec organization for the prevention of sexual violence and was the founding president of the Quebec Student Union, which today represents more than 85,000 Quebec university students.
Magalie Menard ―Passionate about gender equality and girls’ empowerment, Magalie has volunteered twice with Crossroads and is currently a Program Support Advisor in Tanzania working on programming that aims to advance the rights of women and girls as well as empower them, encourage women’s economic empowerment, and increase access to justice.
Atinuke Chineme ― Tinu is an Eyes High Doctoral Scholar at the University of Calgary. Her 15-year career in international oil and gas was traded for sustainability by way of the Sustainable Energy Development (SEDV) M.Sc. program. She has worked to construct a renewable energy Power Hub for a women’s cooperative in Burkina Faso and was a Crossroads Volunteer in Tanzania supporting partner TGNP.
Maryse Vallières-Murray ― A student in agroeconomics at Laval University, Maryse focuses on regional development and agriculture including as an e-volunteer for Crossroads partner APROFES in Senegal from October 2020 to January 2021.
Bring your questions on the unique rewards and challenges of volunteering, engaging and collaborating with partners and communities overseas. As we can’t be physically together, we will be #TogetherAtHome.
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