We all know that Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been a fierce advocate for gender equality since he took office and gave the country its first cabinet with an equal number of men and women, but now, he’s gone a few steps further to prove his feminist credentials…
Via Giphy
Let’s take a look at the series of events that have led to him taking a HUGE stand for girls and women around the world:
On International Women’s Day, more than 200,000 people wrote a letter to world leaders demanding gender equality:
Dear World Leaders,
Nowhere on earth do women have as many opportunities as men. Nowhere.
While the debate around this truth rages everywhere, girls and women living in extreme poverty – those often hit hardest by the injustice of gender inequality – have been left out of the conversation.
This must change. The fight for gender equity is global.
You can read the full letter here. It was a big deal and was signed by Bono, John Green, Mark Zuckerberg, Melinda Gates, Sheryl Sandberg, Oprah, Danai Gurira, Jennifer Lopez, Shonda Rhimes, Angelique Kidjo, and nearly 100 influential individuals passionate about gender equality. But even more importantly, it was signed by more than 200,000 of you—amazing ONE members who demanded that their voices be heard.
In July, ONE stepped up the pressure in our fight for global gender equality by partnering with Patricia and Consolata. These women are an incredible mother-daughter duo who wrote a POWERFUL letter to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about why they’ve committed their lives to fighting gender inequality and ending HIV for #GirlsEverywhere—and why they believe other world leaders should step up, too.
Almost immediately, Prime Minister Trudeau responded:
Patricia & Consolata, I’m honoured to work with you in the fight against HIV. Thanks @ONECampaign. #GirlsEverywhere https://t.co/8iKVEHAPxk
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) July 18, 2016
But he wasn’t done yet.
Today, Prime Minister Trudeau has written ONE members from around the world a response to the Poverty is Sexist campaign’s open letter, calling on world leaders to take a stand against gender inequality.
I hear you, and I agree – yes, #PovertyIsSexist. Here’s my answer to the letter from the @ONEcampaign: https://t.co/ZzzBbsvjMm
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) August 25, 2016
THANK YOU, Prime Minister Trudeau, for standing up and adding your voice to the fight for global gender equality.
We’re looking forward to Canada’s hosting of September’s Global Fund replenishment conference, where world leaders will announce how much money their countries will be pledging to the Global Fund between now and 2019. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is a public-private partnership that raises money to support programs that fight those diseases. Canada’s already-announced pledge to the Global Fund replenishment—$780 million CAD over three years—is an increase of 20 percent over its 2014-2016 contributions!
As Prime Minister Trudeau says in his letter, “Canada’s commitment to the Global Fund is the first step on a path toward a new global policy that prioritizes equal treatment of girls and women. Investing in health will enable girls and women to survive and flourish, including by making key contributions to ending extreme poverty for everyone.”
We hope other countries will #LeadLikeTrudeau, both in their commitment to gender equality and to supporting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
