Question Period Note: Abortion

Canada supports the provision of the full range of sexual and reproductive health services and information, including access to safe and legal abortion, and post-abortion care.

• Restricting access to abortion does not reduce the number of abortions. It only increases the number of unsafe abortions and endangers the lives of women and girls

• Canada supports the goal of ensuring that women and girls can decide whether, when, with whom, and how many children they want to have

• Canada adheres to the laws of the countries in which we support safe abortion programming. Where abortion services are restricted, we support access to post-abortion care and advocacy activities.

Canada supports the goal of ensuring that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, and every girl and woman is treated with the dignity and respect she deserves. As part of Canada's feminist approach, Global Affairs Canada is committed to supporting access to the full range of sexual and reproductive health services and information. That includes access to age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education, family planning (including contraception), as well as women's right to choose safe and legal abortion, and access to post-abortion care. For any product or method used for contraception and pregnancy termination, Canada relies on the advice, norms and regulations established by recognized authorities such as the World Health Organization and national health authorities with regards to their safety and efficacy.

Evidence shows that investing in comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights is key to advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls to realize their full potential. Globally, if the unmet need for modern contraception and quality care were met, unintended pregnancy would decline by 70% and unsafe abortions would decline by 74%.

On March 8th, 2017, the Prime Minister announced $650 million over three years to support the rights and empowerment of women, girls and adolescents with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights, primarily for the poorest and most vulnerable, including in humanitarian settings.

At the Women Deliver Conference in June, 2019, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that that Government of Canada will raise it's funding to reach an average of $1.4 billion annually by 2023 to support women's, children's and adolescents' health around the world.

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