On June 9, 2017, Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister for International Development and La Francophonie, unveiled Canada’s new Feminist International Assistance Policy. The new policy comes following a year of consultations with stakeholders and will guide the Government of Canada with respect to decisions regarding the delivery of Canadian international assistance.
Last summer, CBA International Initiatives participated in a series of consultations with Global Affairs Canada officials to provide the CBA’s perspective regarding the focus of Canadian international assistance as well as how to make the delivery of aid more effective. The then-Chair of the International Initiatives Committee, William Ryan, Q.C., also made two submissions to government summarizing the CBA’s position on the matter. In summary, the CBA’s recommendation to the Government of Canada was that promotion and respect for the rule of law should be recognized as a priority area as well as a crosscutting issue in the design and delivery of Canadian international assistance.
While the most obvious aspect of the new policy is Canada’s desire to refocus its international assistance and demonstrate global leadership by looking at issues in development from a feminist perspective, it is notable that the policy also includes a commitment to focus aid on the promotion of human rights, rule of law, and democracy and political participation, specifically in core area #5 of the policy Inclusive Governance, which aims to support governance that better serves all citizens, respects human rights, strengthens the rule of law and encourages greater political participation by women and girls in developing countries.
CBA International Initiatives has more than 25 years of experience in working to strengthen the rule of law in developing countries, from training lawyers in Central and Eastern Europe in the 1990s after the fall of the iron curtain, to working with Law Societies in Eastern Africa to support institutional capacity building and strengthening access to justice. CBA II’s newest project, Supporting Inclusive Resource Development in East Africa, will be implemented in partnership with the Law Society of Kenya, Tanganyika Law Society, Uganda Law Society and East Africa Law Society. Ultimately, the project aims to contribute to increased sustainable economic growth for East Africans affected by extractive industries, through collaborating with the legal profession in support of law reform and access to justice for affected communities, in particular women and vulnerable groups. SIRD activities will be supported by CBA members from across Canada who will provide training, mentorship, and technical advice for the five-year project.
With the launch of this new feminist international assistance policy, the CBA is well positioned to bring its experience and knowledge to support the poorest and most vulnerable by addressing the root causes of inequality. This includes greater support for access to justice, strengthening governance institutions and law reform. IIC Chair Daphne Dumont, Q.C., sent a letter to Minister Bibeau in June congratulating the Minister on the contents of the new policy and requesting a meeting to discuss opportunities for further cooperation. This follows on the meeting the International Law Section and International Initiatives Committee held with Hugh Adsett, Legal Adviser and Director General at Global Affairs Canada in May to discuss multilateral cooperation, managing the Canada-U.S. relationship and championing the values of accountable governance and human rights.
The CBA is a valued partner of the Government of Canada and members are actively participating in furthering the objectives of the government to ensure access to justice and improving human rights worldwide.