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News Releases
May 1, 2000
CANADA CHAMPIONS RECOGNITION OF INDIGENOUS WOMEN IN LANDMARK OAS AGREEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- At the first-ever Meeting of Ministers Responsible for the Advancement of Women in the OAS, The Honourable Hedy Fry, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women), representing the Government of Canada, successfully negotiated the inclusion of Indigenous Women in the language of the Inter-American Program on the Promotion of Women's Human Rights and Gender Equity (IAP).
The IAP, was unanimously accepted as the blueprint for incorporating a gender perspective in all programs, policies, and entities of the OAS. The IAP will also reinforce the role of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) as the main policy body on gender equality in the hemisphere.
"Canada has taken a leadership role in advancing gender mainstreaming in many international fora including the Commonwealth, la Francophonie, APEC, the United Nations, and now the OAS," said Hedy Fry. "Canada has also been the key promoter of diversity within gender mainstreaming adding disability, ethnic origin, indigenous status, and sexual orientation to the language of many of those agreements."
"Gender Mainstreaming is a vital prerequisite of sustainable economic and social development. We welcome the outcome of this landmark meeting as a critical step for gender equality in the Americas," said Fry.
Ministers also urged the Heads of State and Governments of the Hemisphere to take concrete action to integrate gender equality concerns in the Third Summit of the Americas, to be held in Quebec City in April 2001. "We believe that the next Summit is a crucial opportunity to promote full acceptance of gender mainstreaming as a hemispheric priority, and we look forward to working with the CIM and our hemispheric partners to do so. Every opportunity should be taken to advance the contribution of women to the social, economic, and political development of their countries," said Dr. Fry. "No corporation has been competitive or successful by ignoring 52% of their resources. This rule also holds true for governments."
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