By: Asim Nawaz Abbasi
Vancouver, 8th June 2019: World’s largest conference on gender equality and the health, rights, and well-being of girls and women in the 21st century concluded in Vancouver, the capital of British Columbia, Canada. The conference made it possible to gather around 8000 people from different walks of life including Government officials, Media, NGOs, gender equality advocates, feminists and young leaders.
The Conference kicked off at Vancouver Convention Center which is situated at an eye catching location of harbour in the Down Town.
4 days conference became attention of the world media as Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Vancouver Monday afternoon to help kick off the official opening of the Women Deliver 2019 global conference.
Conference’s one of the major break through, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to gradually increase international aid for women’s health to $1.4 billion annually, with half dedicated to ensuring women have access to safe abortions and reproductive-health services worldwide.
Canada will increase funding for women’s health services worldwide from the current $1.1 billion to $1.4 billion by 2023. The increase includes raising to $700 million from $400 million the amount dedicated to sexual and reproductive health.
“This is a game changer that will empower 18 million women and girls in developing countries by 2030,” PM Trudeau said. “Canada is not just speaking up, we’re stepping up.”
First lady of Canada Sophie Gregoire Trudeau was also there and she closed the conference on Thursday with a call for the 8,000 delegates to continue working toward equal rights for women in the 165 countries they call home.
“The end of this conference is only the beginning of the journey to make this world a better place for girls and women,” said Sophie Trudeau.
Among other leaders of the world spotted first female president of Ethiopia, Sahle-Work Zewde who said during a session “My coming here (as the first female Ethiopian president), is good not only for Ethiopia but for Africa and for the whole world,” said Zewde.
President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo was also a key speaker at the conference.
Women Deliver’s President/CEO Katja Iversen was of significance as the credit goes to her and the whole Women Deliver team for putting up their efforts to make the prestigious event happen.
The conference has presented new knowledge, promote world-class solutions, and engage a broad spectrum of voices. The focus was on several issues from health, nutrition, education, economic and political empowerment to human rights, good governance, and girls’ and women’s agency and equality.
The young leaders who flew from different parts of the world including Pakistan showed up their work in the fields of Sexual and reproductive health, education, gender equality and women empowerment.