On the occasion of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, I wanted to share some personal reflections on this important issue. As Canadian ambassador to Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, my role is to build bridges and understanding between these countries. It is also to find ways for our countries to face shared challenges -- and few issues challenge our societies more deeply than gender-based violence, especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Progress on the front of eliminating violence against women in Canada over the past few years is undeniable, but it remains very much a work in progress. Canada shares its fair number of tragedies when it comes to violence against women. Every Dec 6, our National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women, Canadians remember the 1989 Ecole Polytechnique massacre during which 14 women were murdered and 10 other people wounded by a man with a profound hatred of women. He believed women did not have the right to study engineering, and that their space rightfully belonged to men.
Equally disheartening is the prevalence of violence against indigenous women in Canada. Following a national inquiry, a final report published in 2019 found that indigenous women, girls, and LGBT people faced a staggering rate of violence, and that over decades, thousands of them had been murdered in near impunity. The report also highlighted the role of the state and existing laws in perpetuating violence and human rights abuses. The national inquiry's commissioners concluded that the state's inaction and apathy amounted to genocide. In response, the Canadian government is working through the list of recommendations to bring about real change.
The experts are clear: the Covid-19 pandemic around the world has increased the prevalence of violence against women, especially intimate partner violence. In Canada, on average, a woman is killed by her partner every week. With lockdowns, the usual warning signs that could allow others to intervene are even more difficult to see. This also applied to Thailand, although the early end of the lockdown here has likely reduced the risks somewhat in recent months. But the economic impact of the pandemic remains, and may also spur increased gender-based violence.
In one existing survey from UNFPA published in 2016, almost half of Thai women reported having experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner during their lifetime, and almost one quarter in the 12 months prior to the study. Those numbers speak for themselves about the urgency of the issue. In Thailand, like in Canada, we must improve the quality of services provided to survivors of gender-based violence, we must ensure that those services receive sufficient funding, and that the assistance is well coordinated.
Another important aspect is prevention. Both in Thailand and in Canada, we need to challenge gender stereotypes and change social norms so that boys and girls, women and men can leave in a more egalitarian society -- one that is free from violence.
Women who come forward to report sexual violence should not have to face personal attacks or unrelenting waves of questioning. Coming forward is an incredibly difficult and scary thing to do. It is an act of courage, and women who share their stories of abuse should be first heard, and then supported.
Ending violence against women should be everyone's priority. In conjunction with achieving gender equality, this is about advancing human rights and unlocking the full potential of half of humanity.
As the former Champion for Women at the Canadian foreign ministry, I am committed to increasing the number of women in leadership positions. Especially in the context of Covid-19, women need to be at the table and part of the decision-making process for the post-recovery period in order to build back better. Thailand needs to consider how best to do this, given the low number of women in politics in this country.
In these challenging times, the Canadian government will continue to work with Thailand bilaterally and multilaterally, including through the UN system and UN Women, to eliminate gender-based violence and to further gender equality. Through the embassy, we will also continue to support NGOs, including women's organisations, to tackle those important issues. Canada's feminist international assistance policy, part of our feminist foreign policy, will give us the resources to support this effort.
I hope that through shared commitment and hard work, we can all take concrete steps to end violence against women, in Canada, Thailand and around the world. The best time to end violence against women was yesterday; the next best time is today.
Sarah Taylor, PhD, is the Ambassador of Canada to Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand