From 25-27th March, MSI was proud to meet with Canadian Officials and Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa, to discuss the incredible impact Canada is making on health, lives, and futures around the world, with their support for reproductive choice.
With sexual and reproductive health and rights under attack in many countries, MSI welcomes the bold stance that the Government of Canada is making in defence of bodily autonomy and the right to choose, by supporting abortion access globally. MSI’s CEO, Simon Cooke, was proud to meet with Canadian Officials, Parliamentary Secretary Anita Vandeveld and colleagues at Global Affairs Canada to discuss this shared commitment to reproductive choice.
Together with Global Affairs Canada, we are moving the needle on ensuring women and girls everywhere can make their own choices about their bodies and futures. From 2023 through to 2028, MSI is honoured to receive global funding from the Government of Canada to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights globally. This includes in:
Ethiopia: Since 2020, the ‘Owing Their Future Lives’ project funded by Global Affairs Canada has supported access to safe abortion and contraception via our outreach teams and the public sector. With a strong focus on engaging male partners and community leaders, the project has focused on challenging gender power imbalances and shifting social norms, to build community support for sexual and reproductive health and rights. More than 90,000 husbands have engaged in couples counselling and husband-only sessions on sexual and reproductive health and rights to date.
Ghana: With support from Global Affairs Canada, MSI Ghana has partnered with the Population Council to strengthen the Ghanian health system’s capacity to deliver high quality sexual and reproductive healthcare. Alongside other gender-focused organisations, MSI Ghana is advocating to hold the line on sexual and reproductive health and rights, in response to the anti-LGBT and anti-choice movements. In 2022, with Canada’s support, MSI Ghana averted 700,000 unintended pregnancies, 1,000 maternal and child deaths, and generated $4 million in healthcare cost savings.
Malawi: Malawi is extremely vulnerable to climate-related disasters, with droughts, floods and cyclones. Thanks to support from Global Affairs Canada, our teams are protecting access to essential sexual and reproductive healthcare for communities on the frontline of the climate crisis, including in the flood-affected central region.
Mali: Through our Canadian-funded ‘Bien Etre des Femmes au Mali’ project, we’re expanding reproductive choice for women and girls in Mali, with a focus on supporting survivors of gender-based violence. The project has aimed to improve access to sexual and reproductive healthcare for survivors, with trained, specialist providers and pathways for onward support.
It was an honour to discuss these programmes and the direct impact that Canadian funding is making on the ground with members of the Canadian government and Global Affairs Canada this week.
At MSI, we’re extremely proud to be a strategic partner to Global Affairs Canada, working together to support sexual and reproductive health and rights globally. In 2023, across the 36 countries that MSI works in, with generous support from Canada and other donors, MSI supported 23.3 million people with their reproductive healthcare, preventing 16.5 million unintended pregnancies and 9 million unsafe abortions, saving the lives of 37,500 women and girls.
Find out more about the impact MSI and partners have achieved, together.
