Feds preview peacekeeping plan with money for women’s rights abroad
OTTAWA — The Trudeau government offered a taste of its peacekeeping plan on Wednesday by promising millions in funding for women’s rights abroad, even as signs point to an actual mission coming soon.
The money, totalling $17 million, was committed as part of a larger effort to ensure women are better included in peacekeeping as well as conflict prevention and post-war reconciliation.
The announcement included money to help the UN train female police officers, investigate and prosecute sexual crimes in conflict zones and hire a gender adviser for the UN secretary general.
There were also several different specific initiatives in Colombia, Haiti and Mali — all of which have emerged in recent months as potential places where Canadian peacekeepers could be deployed.