Strategic framework - Canada's Ambassador for Women, Peace, and Security

Context for action

Achieving goals related to women, peace, and security (WPS) is key to Canada's objectives of enabling sustainable global peace, respecting human rights and dignity, embracing evidence-based decision-making, and reducing inequality. The Government of Canada has demonstrated sustained commitment, spanning multiple governments, to achieving gender equality and advancing WPS. To this end, it has adopted strong policies and developed a reputation for leadership. Globally, progress made to date is in peril. Women peacebuilders are chronically under-resourced, and have faced a powerful backlash in recent years. Some long-standing champions of WPS are faltering in their support, and opponents are exploiting their disunity. Authoritarian responses to COVID-19 and diminished funding sources represent existential threats for many activists working at the community level. At the same time, the pandemic is exposing and exacerbating inequalities in our communities, particularly those faced by Indigenous peoples, Black and other racialized groups. Recognition of the impacts of inequalities, coupled with the momentum created by anti-racism movements, have created windows for positive change. They are a timely reminder of the need to take an intersectional approach to the WPS agenda. Canada's goals related to WPS are ambitious. Their achievement requires proactive integration of the tenets of WPS and gender equality across government policies, plans and operations. A key tool is consistent implementation of Canada's National Action Plan on Women Peace and Security (2017 — 2022).

Goals of Canada's National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security

• Increase the meaningful participation of women, and women's organizations and networks, in conflict prevention, resolution, post-conflict development and across governments.
• Prevent, respond to, and end impunity for sexual and gender-based violence and sexual exploitation.
• Promote and protect women and girls' human rights, gender equality, and their empowerment in fragile, conflict, and post-conflict settings.
• Meet the specific needs of women and girls in humanitarian settings, including by upholding their sexual rights, and by enabling access to sexual and reproductive health services.
• Strengthen the capacity of peace operations by deploying more women and fully embedding the WPS agenda into Canadian Armed Forces and deployed police operations.

Action plan partners

The Action Plan's three lead partners are Global Affairs Canada, the Department of National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The six additional implementing partners are: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs; Justice; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; Indigenous Services; Public Safety; and Women and Gender Equality Canada.

Mandate of the Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security

Canada appointed Jacqueline O'Neill Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security through an Order in Council in 2019 with a three-year mandate. Her primary charge is to provide confidential assessments and advice to ministers engaged in the implementation of Canada's National Action Plan on WPS, and about how Canada can continue to demonstrate global leadership

Vision

As a force multiplier for efforts to advance WPS, the Ambassador is working toward:

• Comprehensive implementation of the National Action Plan across the Government of Canada
• Broadened implementation of the WPS agenda, within Canada and abroad

Focus

The Ambassador's consultations across government and with civil society in Canada and abroad, inspired the following areas of focus:

Strengthening and expanding the network of Canada's National Action Plan implementing partners

Why? Regular discussions and exchanges within and across the nine implementing partners can result in greater policy cohesion, better informed and equipped internal advocates, and more efficiently used resources. The possible addition of one or more partners increases opportunities to implement the full WPS agenda. Together, these changes position Canada to fulfill existing objectives as well as develop an even more impactful third National Action Plan.

How? Consistently convening meetings of partners and staff and executive levels; revising reporting requirements; articulating the relevance of WPS and the value of participating in the National Action Plan to those in a range of portfolios (e.g. climate change, veterans' affairs, finance); and more.

Supporting the creation of customized tools, resources and guidance

Why? While existing GBA+ training provides a needed baseline, personnel across government require more specialized expertise to deliver on Canada's commitments and sustain global leadership. Professionalizing work on WPS requires the development of tools, resources, and guidance that reflect good practices and are customized to day-to-day work.

How? Working with Women and Gender Equality Canada and other partners to support the coordination, development, and distribution of quality products; influencing core training and induction materials; supporting senior leaders directly (e.g. at pre-deployment trainings for heads of missions), and more.

Bolstering ambitious Canadian initiatives

Why? As the WPS agenda faces resistance around the world, Canada's National Action Plan implementing partners are stepping up to protect gains as well as to bridge the often-wide gaps between rhetoric and action. Many are modeling much-needed leadership and collaboration—particularly with partners in the Global South. It is crucial that these initiatives succeed.

How? Supporting the design, coordination, implementation, and resourcing of Canadian initiatives to mark the 20th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325; contributing to Canada's leadership of and learning from major efforts such as the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations, the WPS Focal Points Network, the WPS Chiefs of Defence Staffs Network; supporting priority initiatives led by Canadian missions, and more.

Principles

• Amplify – Create space for excluded voices to be heard directly—both internal and external to government. Listen and stay connected, especially to women from the Global South and in civil society.
• Connect – Make and nurture connections. Coordinate. Break down silos.
• Learn – Think of implementation as a process, not a binary end state. No one has a monopoly on good ideas; everyone has much to learn and much to share.
• Lead – Be generous, unapologetic, and humble. Question convention. Defend risk takers.
• Entrench – Encourage ownership and leadership by others. Strengthen the integration of WPS by working within systems and thematic areas, rather than siloing WPS outside of them.