Government of Canada Announces Support to ParlAmericas Projects in Latin America and in the Caribbean
ParlAmericas is pleased to share that on June 10, 2022 the Government of Canada announced contributions to a pair of complementary projects to strengthen inclusive and gender responsive governance through work with parliaments and civil society in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Strengthening Political Capacities for Gender Responsive Governance in Latin America ($4.9 million contribution) is a four-year project to promote a gender-responsive governance in 19 Latin American countries through knowledge sharing activities and technical support directed to parliamentarians and parliamentary staff, women’s advocates, and civil society.
Strengthening Political Capacities for Gender Responsive Governance in the Caribbean ($2.4 million contribution) is a four-year project that will similarly address political, structural and legislative barriers to gender equality and women’s empowerment through programming with parliamentarians and parliamentary staff, women’s advocates, and civil society in 14 Caribbean Community countries.
“These projects are an opportunity to build on important progress and promote exchange between parliaments on advancing climate action, open parliament, and the sustainable development of our societies using practices that are responsive to the needs of all our citizens, in particular those traditionally left out of decision making processes, such as women and girls. We must work collectively to empower women’s voices in our democracies,” stated Senator Blanca Ovelar (Paraguay), President of ParlAmericas.
This announcement reflects commitments outlined in Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP), which recognizes that reducing poverty and inequalities requires a transformation of social norms and power relations that disadvantage women and girls. This aligns with the guiding principles and activities of ParlAmericas to promote women’s political participation and partnerships for inclusive governance.
“Proactive dialogue and relationship-building with women’s civil society is important to ensure that our work as parliamentarians is informed by experience of women from diverse backgrounds. The projects will provide a continued space, through ParlAmericas, for our parliaments to work together and alongside women advocates in confronting barriers to gender equality,” stated the Honourable Bridgid Annisette-George (Trinidad and Tobago), Speaker of the House of Representatives and Vice-President of ParlAmericas.
For over 20 years, ParlAmericas has facilitated inter-parliamentary activities and collective efforts to advance women’s political leadership and gender mainstreaming in legislative work in the Americas and the Caribbean. These efforts are supported by a permanent working group of parliamentarians, the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality.
