Harper Government taking action to address violence against women and girls

Minister Ambrose led Canadian delegation on International Stage to Address Violence Against Women and Girls

OTTAWA, March 5, 2013 /CNW/ - The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, led Canada's delegation to the 57^th meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) in New York from March 4 to 6, 2013 to address ending violence against women and girls.

"The Harper Government is taking action to end violence against women and girls and I am pleased to lead a Canadian delegation to address this issue on the international stage," said Minister Ambrose. "In Canada, we are investing in projects aimed at ending violence in communities across the country. On the international stage, our Government led the United Nations resolution to establish the International Day of the Girl and we will continue to work to prevent sexual violence against women in conflict zones, end the practice of early and forced marriages, and advocate for the rights of women around the world."

While at the United Nations, Minister Ambrose highlighted the Harper Government's commitment to ending violence against women and girls at home and abroad and Canada's theme for International Women's Week 2013, Working Together: Engaging Men to End Violence against Women. Minister Ambrose co-hosted panels with the United States and Canadian non-governmental organizations on violence committed in the name of so-called "honour" and engaging men and boys in violence prevention, respectively. Minister Ambrose also spoke at the high level roundtable on the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.

During this year's UNCSW session, Minister Ambrose held bilateral meetings with representatives of other Member states and met with a number of Canadian non-governmental organizations, and provincial and territorial counterparts to exchange knowledge and expertise on ending all forms violence against women and girls. The Minister underscored that violence against women is an issue for everyone to address - women and men, girls and boys alike.

The Canadian delegation to the UNCSW is composed of Minister Ambrose as Head of Delegation and representatives from three non-governmental organizations:

• Dr. Shelley Ross of the Federation of Medical Women Canada. Dr. Ross participated in a panel on the role of the health system in the elimination and prevention of violence against women.
• Aruna Papp of the Punjabi Community Health Services. Ms. Papp participated in the panel on violence committed in the name of so-called "honour" which was co-hosted by Canada and the United States.
• Tracy Porteous of Ending Violence Association of British Columbia. Ms. Porteous participated in a panel on engaging men and boys in preventing violence against women and girls which was co-hosted by Canada and Canadian non-governmental organizations.

The delegation also includes: representatives of the Government of Canada, including the Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women, Susan Truppe; and, Ministers or senior officials representing eight provinces and territories (Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and the Yukon).

The Harper Government also recently endorsed the COMMIT initiative put forward by UN Women asking governments everywhere to be part of global efforts aimed at ending violence against women and girls. Canada continues to implement a wide range of initiatives to reduce and prevent violence against women and girls, and urges other nations to do the same.

SOURCE: Status of Women Canada