What Canada Is Doing to Promote Gender Equality

What should world leaders be doing to support feminism in their countries and around the world? originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

Answer by Justin Trudeau, 23rd Prime Minister of Canada, on Quora:

As many of you probably know, I appointed a cabinet that was gender-balanced. But before I could blithely point out “because it’s 2015″, it took a lot of work in 2014, 2013, and 2012. To get great women in the Cabinet, we needed to reach out to get great women to want to run for politics. Which was no easy task, given how nasty and divisive politics had become in Canada in those years. And much more to do still, given that our parliament still is only 26% women today.

In the policy choices we make, leaders around the world should ensure that they encourage the full participation of women in society by enacting laws and regulations that facilitate this, or at the very least that do not pose an obstacle to this (eg: there are still 18 Nations where women cannot get a job without their husband’s permission).

There’s much more to do on combating gender-based violence and harassment around the world, which is why men have an important role to play in the fight for women’s equality. This is why I encourage men to sign up as HeforShe champions online, to demonstrate their support for an equal world.

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