Canada, it’s time to be bold: Leymah Gbowee meets Canadian PM

“There are 10 000 Malalas and 10 000 Leymahs in every community. Go find them and support them.” With those words, Nobel Peace laureate Leymah Gbowee and Iraqi feminist activist Yanar Mohammed kicked off a two-day visit to Ottawa to raise political will in Canada to fund grassroots women’s organizations around the world.

Prime Minister Trudeau meets with Leymah Gbowee in his Centre Block office. April 13, 2017. ///
Le premier ministre Trudeau rencontre Leymah Gbowee dans son bureau de l’édifice du Centre. 13 avril 2017.

Leymah and Yanar met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to share their stories of grassroots activism—and to emphasize that Canada has a unique opportunity to step up, be bold and fund women at the grassroots around the world. The visit also included meeting with Members of Parliament and the Senate and the launch of the Canadian Feminist Action Lab, an innovative funding concept that would fund 150 grassroots women’s organizations around the world in honour of Canada’s sesquicentennial.

“Women are the best experts. We are the peace agents on the ground,” said Yanar. She urged Canada to champion innovative funding that goes directly to those women to create lasting peace around the world. “This is Canada’s time to be bold.”