Canada’s Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussen, announced over $35 million in funding for international assistance projects in Africa, focusing on gender equality, women’s empowerment, and addressing gender-based violence.
Key Initiatives:
- Climate Resilience in Ethiopia ($12.4M): World Vision Canada will assist 56,000 people, primarily women, in the Oromia region to strengthen climate resilience and reduce gender-based violence caused by environmental stressors.
- UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women ($10M): Support will be provided for global initiatives to prevent violence against women, implement protective laws, and improve access to survivor services, with a focus on empowering civil society organizations.
- Women’s Leadership in South Africa ($6M): Gender Links will enhance the capacity of 50 women’s rights organizations and LGBTQI+ groups to advance gender equality, reaching 117,000 people through advocacy, collaboration, and structural inclusion.
- Supporting Women in Somalia ($5M): The project will build inclusive institutions and frameworks to promote human rights, with an emphasis on women’s and girls’ rights, through coordinated efforts by UN agencies.
- Empowering Women in Malawi ($1.8M): Targeting survivors of gender-based violence, the initiative will focus on economic empowerment, rights awareness, and SGBV prevention in Machinga, Mulanje, and Phalombe districts.