VANCOUVER - Canada's minister of gender equality has announced a new initiative aimed at transforming how women's rights organizations are supported in developing countries and at home.
Maryam Monsef says the federal government has invested $300 million for women in the developing world as part of the so-called Equality Fund.
She says it brings together 11 organizations from the philanthropic, non-profit and financial sectors, including the Canada-based Match International Women's Fund, the African Women's Development Fund and Oxfam Canada in hopes of creating a perpetual and sustainable mechanism for funding gender equality.
Monsef says Ottawa has also pledged to match donations for domestic programs of up to $10 million each for three groups - Community Foundations of Canada, the Canadian Women's Foundation and Grand Challenges Canada
Global Affairs says in a release $100 million has already been raised, on top of the federal government's contribution, with an aim to reach $1 billion over the next 15 years.
Monsef is in Vancouver this week to attend the Women Deliver conference, which the Global Affairs Department expects will draw 9,000 officials and advocates for gender equality from around the world.
