Support the full range of reproductive health services and close the gap in the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Initiative.
What success looks like
More women and girls are able to make informed reproductive health choices and assert control over their own bodies, saving the lives of women and children.
Government's narrative on progress
Between 2017-2020, the government is focusing on closing key gaps in sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls, which includes the full range of sexual and reproductive health services (including contraceptives and safe, legal abortion), and on preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) including child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation and cutting. In March 2017, Canada announced $650 million, over three years, to close gaps in sexual and reproductive health and rights, doubling Canada’s existing investments. Full, free and voluntary access to modern contraceptives as part of a comprehensive package of sexual and reproductive health services is essential to supporting women to gain control over their bodies and lives. Canada’s funding of $42.6 million to family planning activities in 2017-2018 made it possible for: • 1.4 million women and couples to receive contraceptive services and supplies. • 387,000 unintended pregnancies to be averted including. • 187,000 unplanned births. • 147,000 induced abortions, averting 108,000 unsafe abortion. • 1,100 maternal deaths to be averted. Canada also joined key global partnerships, such as Family Planning 2020, which will help enable up to 120 million more women and girls to access family planning by 2020, as well as the Ouagadougou Partnership, which will accelerate the use of these services in nine countries in West Africa. Canada will continue to promote sexual and reproductive health rights through its participation in movements such as SheDecides and will host the 2019 Women Deliver 5th Global Conference in Vancouver on June 3-6, 2019.
Note: this is the government's own description, not an independent assessment.