Posted: Wednesday, 5 May 2010

Treatment and care in Africa – Canada stands isolated among G8 nations on maternal health

As Canada hosted development ministers for the G8 countries in Halifax April 26-28, the Canadian Labour Congress reiterated its call for global action on poverty and decent work. The CLC reminded the G8 nations that they needed to live up to their commitments to provide greater access to HIV prevention services and AIDS treatment, care and support in Africa.

Responding to the announcement by Minister for International Cooperation Bev Oda at the Halifax meeting, that Canada would not allow development funding for overseas projects that help women receive safe abortion services, CLC executive vice-president Barbara Byers told the Halifax Chronicle-Herald that Canada’s focus on maternal health “must fully recognize the reproductive and sexual rights of women and girls, including access to safe and legal abortions”. Canada now stands alone among the G8 nations, reversing long-standing foreign development policy on the issue.