February 2019 Newsletter

International Development Week 2019
Last week saw the 29th edition of International Development Week (IDW) in Canada! The 2019 theme, “Together for Gender Equality”, embodies Canada’s commitment to the global effort to address gender inequality and encourages all Canadians to be change-makers in advancing gender equality in the world.

On February 5th at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, CanWaCH members and partnering organizations celebrated IDW with a range of interactive games and activities showcasing how Canadians are making a difference around the world.

Later that evening, in the spirit of coming “Together for Gender Equality”, Canada’s international development community, along with Global Affairs Canada and the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development, recognized Canada’s leadership in achieving gender equality as we look towards the Women Deliver Conference in Vancouver in June 2019. Check out Global Affairs Canada’s live coverage of the reception.

Announcing the ‘Canada Pavilion’ at Women Deliver 2019: Call for Applications for Event Space
CanWaCH and Women Deliver 2019 Mobilization Canada (WDMC) have secured Steamworks to be the home of the ‘Canada Pavilion’ during the Women Deliver 2019 Conference taking place in Vancouver June 3-6. Less than a 10-minute walk away from the conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre, the Canada Pavilion will be the go-to location for multiple events hosted by Canadian organizations between June 2nd to 7th, alongside the Women Deliver Conference. If you are a CanWaCH member or Women Deliver Mobilizer interested in hosting an event at the Canada Pavilion, learn more and apply here.

What is the Thrive Agenda?
CanWaCH has been working closely with our members and sector partners to develop a bold vision of the future of Canadian leadership in women, adolescent and children’s health and rights around the world. To learn more about this important policy initiative for Canada’s post-2020 global health investments, check out the Thrive Infographic. For more information, please contact our Senior Stakeholder Engagement Advisor, Megan Aikens.

Take part in the Women Deliver Mobilization’s Legacy Campaign for Gender-Responsive Health Systems and Services
This week, Women Deliver 2019 Mobilization Canada launched its Gender-Responsive Health Systems and Services Legacies! These are the legacies that Canadian Mobilizers want to see come out of Canada’s hosting of Women Deliver 2019 in regard to health and gender equality. CanWaCH has been working hard with its members and sector partners on the Thrive Agenda, which builds on the Mobilization’s Legacy of having decision makers commit to long-term, sustainable and increased health investment to fill critical gaps. Linking the Thrive Agenda to the Legacies also gives us strength in numbers! Now, you can let decision-makers know that Canadians from all over the country and across sectors want to see a commitment to long-term, sustained and increased investment in gender-responsive health systems and services. Support the legacies by promoting them on social media this week!

Women Deliver: Advocacy Academy Skills-Building Workshop
Women Deliver is pleased to announce that the application for the Advocacy Academy in-person skills-building workshop is officially open! There is no cost to attend the workshop, but participants must be registered to attend WD2019 and be able to cover the costs of travel and lodging. Submit your application by Wednesday, February 20, 2019. The online course will soon be made available to all WD2019 registrants.

Lead On Canada
Lead On Canada recently sat down with Karlee Silver, co-CEO of Grand Challenges Canada, at the inaugural Global Health Conference hosted by BC Children’s Hospital Foundation & UBC SPPH. In this short interview, she spoke about how Grand Challenges Canada is working to help make the world a better place for women and children. Karlee advises on a range of global initiatives aligned with global women’s and children’s health, mental health and development.

Monthly Metrics Bulletin: Strengthening Health Systems in Haiti
Recently, CanWaCH visited the LÉGER FOUNDATION in Haiti where we explored the exemplary ways they are working with Canadian and local partners to strengthen the country’s health system. In this month’s bulletin, learn how they are putting gender equality at the centre of their PROSAMI project.

Canadian Collaborative for Global Health: We want to hear from you!
The Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research and McGill University are reaching out to global health researchers and practitioners to get your views on women, adolescents and children’s health (WACH) priority themes for which harmonized metrics are needed. Are you involved in WACH projects? If so, we invite you to participate in this 15-minute online survey! Your input is essential to the success of this CanWaCH-funded project.

Upcoming Webinar: Online Discussion on Canada’s Key Performance Indicators in SRHR
CanWaCH is pleased to host an interactive online discussion on Wednesday, February 27th at 2:00 PM EDT. Representatives from Global Affairs Canada will be present to discuss Canada’s new Key Performance Indicators for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), as well as the accompanying methodological notes. An interactive question and answer period will follow. Click here to register. For more information, please contact Jessica Ferne, Director of Global Health Impact.

Global Affairs Call for Proposals: Women as agents of change in the Americas
The Preliminary Proposal Application Form for Women as agents of change in the Americas is now available. To be considered in this call, you must submit your complete application package by Wednesday, March 13, 2019, 12:00 pm EST. If you still have questions about this call after reading the Questions and answers about applying for funding, please email them by February 13, 2019, 12:00 pm EST.

Commission on the Status of Women
The sixty-third session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will take place at the UN Headquarters in New York from March 11-22, 2019. The priority theme will be social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Read the CSW63 Draft Agreed Conclusions here.

Articles & Publications

How Canadians are Helping Mobilize Change in Advance of Hosting the World’s Largest Conference on Gender Equality, Women of Influence

Key takeaways from the first annual Global Health Conference in Vancouver, CanWaCH

Delivering Results! Canadian partners in Haiti, CanWaCH

DYAMAN in Haiti: The Beginning of Better Access to Care for Non-Communicable Diseases in Pregnancy, Jacquecilien Widmise, DYAMAN Study Coordinator, McGill University

Gender and nutrition: Canadian knowledge partnership seeks to close the data gap, Nutrition International

Melinda Gates: Why women’s and children’s health is at risk around the world, CNN

Inspiring young men in Haiti to lead change in their community, Plan International Canada

Nutrition International, CanWaCH partner with WickFest to get more girls in the game, Nutrition International

10 things to know about the health of refugees and migrants, World Health Organization

With millions of girls ‘at risk’ today of genital mutilation, UN chief calls for zero tolerance, UN News

Why can’t pregnant women be vaccinated during epidemics?, Devex