Question Period Note: Beijing +25 – Canada’s National Review Report

Canada, along with other United Nations Member States, reports to the United Nations every five years on national progress in implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995).

*Canada continues to advocate strongly, in Canada and around the world, for the full realization of women's rights and gender equality, so that all women and girls can be leaders in their families, communities, and countries.

*Canada recently submitted its 5th report to the United Nations reflecting on our progress in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action over the period from 2015-2019.

*Women and Gender Equality Canada looks forward to continuing its work with federal, provincial and territorial partners, as well as with civil society, into 2020 and beyond, to advance gender equality in Canada

2020 will be an important year for international gender equality as it marks the following milestones: the 25th anniversary of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+25), the 20th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (on Women, Peace and Security), and five years into the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda (Sustainable Development Goal 5 focuses on gender equality). As the federal lead for gender equality in Canada, Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) will be leading Canada’s participation in global meetings and events related to Beijing+25.

Every five years, UN Women conducts a global review on progress towards the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, which was adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995.

In support of this review process, WAGE recently led the development, in close consultation with other federal government departments and provincial and territorial governments, of Canada’s National Review on progress in its implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The report was submitted to the UN in July 2019.

Canada’s National Review, covering the period from 2015-2019, includes an overview of Canada’s achievements and also identifies remaining challenges and setbacks. The Review was guided by Canada’s Gender Results Framework but is organized according to guidelines set out by UN Women as part of the review process. The Review also takes into consideration progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The UN review process also encouraged civil society organizations (CSOs) to prepare their own parallel reports on country progress in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action. In October 2019, a network of approximately 50 Canadian CSOs independently published a parallel report on Canada that included a number of recommendations to advance gender equality domestically. The Government of Canada will be conducting an in-depth analysis of the CSO parallel report and its recommendations as it considers next steps to continue advancing gender equality in Canada.

Global progress and remaining gaps and challenges in advancing women’s rights will also be the theme of the 64th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) convening in New York March 9-20, 2020.

WAGE leads Canada’s participation at the annual UNCSW meetings, and the Minister for WAGE will head Canada’s delegation.

None