Global Affairs Canada

• “Peace and prosperity are every person’s birthright.” So opened then Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland’s introduction to Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP).
• Launched in 2017, the policy stated that Canada would take an explicitly feminist approach to international assistance, including a commitment to protecting women’s sexual and reproductive rights.
• Many considered it to be a forward-thinking policy that builds on the past work of NGOs and other international partners.
• In addition to funding, Joly also offered RCMP support to help investigate the crimes of sexual violence against Israeli women.

Palestinian women’s rights long ignored

• Her statement came after United Nations experts expressed alarm over “credible allegations of egregious human rights violations to which Palestinian women and girls continue to be subjected in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.” They cited reports of arbitrary executions, killings, detentions and sexual abuse of Palestinian women and girls by Israeli forces.
• Even before the current escalation of violence, Canada’s support of Israel’s actions have long been identified as a significant limitation of FIAP.
• Palestinian women also face increased risk of sexual violence.
• There are credible reports of sexual violence being used as a tool of war against both Israeli and Palestinian women.

Reproductive health in Gaza in a dire state

• An estimated 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza are at increased risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and maternal death.
• The widespread food crisis has also had dire implications for reproductive and maternal health.
• Malnutrition affects maternal health, and can also have long-term consequences for the health of mothers and their children.

Canada must act

• Meanwhile, Canadian exports of military equipment to Israel have not only continued, but have increased since October.
• Global Affairs Canada claims these exports are only for non-lethal equipment.
• Canada’s delayed and inconsistent response to Israel’s military violence in Gaza represents a failure to evenly apply its own foreign policy.
• If Canada truly wants to create a more peaceful and prosperous world, they must not leave Palestinian women behind.

Jacqueline Potvin previously received funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Mayme Lefurgey does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• Electra Battery Materials Corporation (NASDAQ: ELBM; TSX-V: ELBM) (“Electra”, “Company”) is pleased to announce senior management will be participating in the several investment and industry conferences:
  BMO Global Metals, Mining & Critical Minerals Conference, February 25-28
  CEO, Trent Mell, will be available for one-on-one meetings with institutional and industry peers throughout the conference to discuss Electra’s near-term plans.
• CEO, Trent Mell, will present and, along with Vice President Investor Relations & Corporate Development, Heather Smiles, be available for one-on-one meetings.
• Senior management, including CEO, Trent Mell, Vice President Investor Relations & Corporate Development, Heather Smiles, and other members of the management team will be attending PDAC and available for one-on-one meetings.
• CEO, Trent Mell, will present during the Canada Investment Forum, an event co-organized by Natural Resources Canada, Invest in Canada and Global Affairs Canada, at 3:15pm, Monday March 4th, in the Toronto Metro Convention Centre, North Building, Room 105.

• CHICAGO, March 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Workstorm, a provider of secure collaboration technology, announces that Ambassador Ivo H. Daalder has joined its Advisory Board , strengthening its footprint in the industry.
• Through his distinguished career, Ambassador Daalder brings extensive expertise in international affairs, security studies, geopolitics, and geoeconomics.
• Workstorm welcomes Ambassador Daalder to its Federal Government Subcommittee, joining Steve Cooper and retired Brigadier General Stephen Cheney, two preeminent experts in government and security.
• Raj Fernando, Founder and CEO of Workstorm, stated, "We are honored to have Ambassador Daalder on our Advisory Board.

• More than a week has passed since the International Court of Justice (ICJ) mandated provisional measures against Israel following South Africa’s accusation of genocide.
• It must also report back to the court within a month on the implementation of these measures.

No adherence

• According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, more than 27,000 Palestinians have now been killed and more than 66,000 injured since the Hamas attacks against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
• Israel has also targeted several medical facilities in Gaza, including Nasser hospital, since the ICJ ruling.
• The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) called Rafah a “pressure cooker of despair.”

In direct contravention

• Such action would be in direct contravention of ICJ’s explicit order that Israel ensures basic services and humanitarian aid reaches civilians in Gaza.
• These developments underscore the gravity of the conditions in Gaza following the ICJ ruling, and highlight the urgent need for Israel to comply with the orders.

What’s next?

• Nonetheless, the ICJ ruling sends a clear message to the international community, especially to states allied with Israel, reminding them of the collective responsibility to respect and uphold international law.
• As such, the implications of the decision extend well beyond the immediate parties involved.
• It raises concerns about Canada’s military exports, especially the $21 million of military equipment sent to Israel in 2022.

The Global South strikes back?

• In a broader context, the ICJ’s involvement represents an example of the Global South striking back, as international law expert Heidi Matthews argues in her podcast.
• South Africa’s historical fight against apartheid has made the Palestinian cause resonate for South Africans, lending credibility and moral weight to its case against Israel.
• Nonetheless, despite the hope that the Global South may begin to effectively hold powerful nations to account, the international reaction to the ICJ ruling has been notably ambivalent.
• But the specifics haven’t been disclosed, and there are few other organizations with the expertise and infrastructure to meet the needs of Palestinians in Gaza.

Upholding international law

• The ICJ ruling calls for urgent action, not just from Israel, but also from the wider international community — including Canada — to uphold the tenets of international law and support humanitarian efforts.
• Global Affairs Canada recently stated on social media that “Canada rejects any proposal that calls for the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and the establishment of additional settlements.
• The world is watching, and Canada’s actions now must showcase its commitment to justice, human rights and the rule of law.

Basema Al-Alami does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.