Continue to advance rights

Departments and agencies in the Government of Canada are collaborating to address the priorities of the 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan. Read the progress made by the Government of Canada from August 2022 to March 2023 on the priority area of Continuing to advance and strengthen 2SLGBTQI+ rights at home and abroad.

Global Affairs Canada (GAC)

Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives funding and programs

• Over the past year, the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) provided over $3.6M in funding to support more than 115 projects advancing the rights of 2SLGBTQI+ people around the world.
• 2SLGBTQI+ rights were included among the Canadian for Local Initiatives (CFLI) program’s priorities for missions, highlighting the importance of supporting 2SLGBTQI+ objectives. In 2022-23, 70% of CFLI missions integrated objectives related to the promotion of 2SLGBTQI+ rights to their list of programming priorities. That year, the CFLI program implemented 68 new initiatives directly related to the advancement of 2SLGBTQI+ rights in 43 countries for a total disbursement of approximately $2,450,000. In addition, some projects may indirectly support 2SLGBTQI+ issues where direct support might endanger the project partners or recipients.

Canadian missions with activities to promote and protect the rights of 2SLGBQI+ persons around the world

• In January 2023, the Canadian Embassy in Hungary participated in a discussion on the rights of 2SLGBTQI+ persons with members of the Parliamentary Intergroup for a Diverse Hungary.
• In March 2023, Canada took over at Sydney World Pride.
• In May 2023, the Canadian High Commission based in India supported the Queer Youth Leadership Course.
• In May 2023, the Canadian Embassy in Thailand participated in a discussion with the UN Development Program, the World Bank, and local organizations on diversity and inclusion of 2SLGBTQI+ persons.
• In June 2023, the Canadian High Commission based in Barbados supported 2SLGBTQI+ Health and Wellness workshops.

Support for Act Together for Inclusion Fund (ACTIF)

• ACTIF works to strengthen partnerships between Canadian civil society organisations and international local organisations with the objective of enhancing global 2SLGBTQI+ efforts.
• To date, two rounds of calls for proposals were implemented resulting in twelve projects selected for funding, that will support the work of 12 Canadian organizations and 30 local partner organizations to advance human rights of 2SLGBTQI+ persons in up to 30 countries in the Global South.

Canada in the United Nations     

• The Canadian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, based in Geneva, hosted briefings with 2SLGBTQI+ activists in 2022-23, including ahead of the triannual sessions of the United Nation’s Universal Periodic Review.
• Canada supported joint statements led by the Group of Friends on sexual orientation and gender identity at sessions of the United Nation’s Human Rights Council based in Geneva and delivered a statement on 2SLGBTQI+ Rights and Freedom of Religion and Belief during the July 2023 session of the Human Rights Council.
• Canada supported joint statements led by the United Nations LGBTI Core Group.
• On 10 January 2023, the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, met with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico and President Joseph R. Biden of the United States of America for the tenth North American Leaders’ Summit (NALS) in Mexico City. The three leaders committed to “Continuing to combat violence against LGBTQI+ individuals, by working together to expand membership within the Americas to the Equal Rights Coalition and the UN LGBTQI+ Core Group.”

Building on investments in projects that advance 2SLGBTQI+ rights and inclusion internationally

• Building on investments since 2019 for 2SLGBTQI+ projects abroad by continuing to work towards an annual investment of up to $10 million annually starting in 2025-26.
• Global Affairs Canada’s continued its commitment to build on investments in projects that advance 2SLGBTQI+ rights and inclusion internationally, including the following projects announced in March 2023:
  • The $1.095 million “LGBTI Pathways” project with ILGA World – a global research and capacity building initiative that aims to increase funding towards improving the lives of 2SLGBTQI+ persons across the world.
  • The $450K “Rights and Well-being of LBTQI+ Women and Girls in West Africa and International Spaces” project with Égides, which is advancing the rights and well-being of LBTQI+ women and girls by improving their access to sexual and reproductive health and rights and promoting the integration of their voices in regional and international dialogue and decision-making spaces.

Support for emergency assistance programs

• In 2023, Canada has committed $1.75 million to increase support for emergency assistance programs focused on protecting 2SLGBTQI+ persons, and civil society organizations through contributions to the Global Equality Fund.

Condemning anti-homosexuality legislation

• On March 22, 2023, Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Joly both issued separate social media statements condemning the Anti-Homosexuality Act after its first passing by the Ugandan Parliament.

Promote the visibility and growth of 2SLGBTQI+ businesses internationally

• Global Affairs Canada provided support to Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC)’s business delegation to the United Kingdom and the European Union from March 16 to March 21, 2023, which helped to promote the visibility and growth of 2SLGBTQI+ businesses internationally. The CGLCC is the only chamber of commerce uniting and advocating for the over 100,000 2SLGBTQI+ owned and operated businesses in Canada. This initiative supports 2SLGBTQI+ businesses by growing their networks, exploring new business opportunities and supporting supplier diversity.

Funding for the Women’s Voice and Leadership Program

• In April 2023, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, then-Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, announced $195 million over 5 years, and $43.3 million annually thereafter on an ongoing basis, for the renewal and expansion of the Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) Program, a flagship investment of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, which has continued to support women’s rights organizations and 2SLGBTQI+ groups working for the rights of women and girls in all their diversity around the world.

Education on the use of the Two-spirit term in North America

• Canada helped facilitate the participation of a Cultural Consultant at AWM Productions, in a panel discussion organized by the LGBTI Core Group of the Organization of American States on May 4, 2023, entitled “Forum on Best Practices in Public Policies for the 2SLGBTQI+ Population in the Americas”, in order to educate attendees about the use of the Two-spirit term by Indigenous Peoples in North America.

Canada’s participation in the Equal Rights Coalition

• Canada co-sponsored statements on the occasion of International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) and International Transgender Day of Visibility, including as a member of the LGBTI Core Group of the Organization of American States, and as a member of the Equal Rights Coalition.
• Canada continues to be actively engaged in the work of the Equal Rights Coalition, a group of 42 member states, civil society organizations and international organizations, committed to advocating for the rights of 2SLGBTQI+ persons internationally.
• In May 2023, Canada joined the statement on the Anti-Homosexuality Act in Uganda.

Pride season around the world

• For Pride season, many Canadian missions around the world have made joint statements with like-minded countries in advance of Pride marches. For example, in Budapest, Moscow and Helsinki.

 Hosting US Special Envoy on LGBTQI+ Rights

• On June 6-7, 2023, Canada hosted the visit of the US Special Envoy on LGBTQI+ Rights, Jessica Stern. During her visit, Jessica Stern met with officials from the Government of Canada, with politicians and 2SLGBTQI+ activists.

Building a diverse and inclusive culture in the public service

• As part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to build a diverse and inclusive culture in the public service, Global Affairs Canada organized an event for staff on June 23, 2023, to celebrate 2SLGBTQI+ achievements, rights and advocacy in the workplace and to showcase the international efforts Canada supports in the Latin American and Caribbean region.
• The event featured Canadian Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Caroline Leclerc, and members of the IDB board, GAC trade commissioner and trans-rights advocate, as well as academics and project partners from the Latin America and the Caribbean region advocating for 2SLGBTQI+ rights.

Canada and the General Assemble of the Organization of American States

• Global Affairs Canada supported additional resolution text addressing human rights and the prevention of discrimination & violence against 2SLGBTQI+ persons adopted by the General Assembly of the Organization of American States on June 22-23, 2023.

Canada at the G7

• On 30 June 2023, the G7, under the Presidency of Japan, issued a communiqué committing to “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls is fundamental for a resilient, fair, and prosperous society. We endeavor to work with all segments of society to ensure full, equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in all their diversity as well as LGBTQIA+ persons in politics, economics, education and all other spheres of society, and to consistently mainstream gender equality in all policy areas.”

Participation in the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

• In July 2023, Global Affairs Canada has encouraged the participation of a Two Spirit panelist at the 16th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) during the discussion on the impact of colonialism on 2SLGBTQI+ rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Canada leading and feminist movements

• As a co-leader of the Action Coalition on Feminist Movements and Leadership, Canada has endorsed the Global Acceleration Plan of the Generation Equality Forum in support of activists, women’s human rights defenders and groups who work from feminist and women’s rights perspectives and have as their primary mission the promotion of women’s, girls’, and/or all transgender, intersex and nonbinary people pushing for structural change.
• Global Affairs Canada actively supports and works with women rights organizations and feminist movements as the co-chair the Alliance for Feminist Movements. The Alliance aims to increase financial and political resources for feminist organizations in all their diversity including, but not limited to, transgender, intersex and nonbinary people, racialized people, Indigenous women, women and persons with disabilities, women and persons living with and affected by HIV, young feminists, girls, sex workers and other historically marginalized persons.

Justice Canada

Reforming the criminal law regarding HIV non-disclosure

• On October 20, 2022, the Minister of Justice announced the launch of a public consultation on reforming the criminal law regarding HIV non-disclosure. The consultation is one of the commitments made by the federal government in Canada’s first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan. The consultation closed on January 13 and on June 23, the What we Heard Report on the online consultation was published.