Welcome to the Canadian National Committee for UNIFEM’s website,

I hope you will find our new website exciting, informative and a quality reference regarding initiatives and activities at the Canadian National Committee of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM Canada).

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This year, the Canadian National Committee enters its second decade to find an ever-changing world with an uncertain social-reality where women are at an increasing risk from humanitarian disasters, HIV/AIDS, violence, poverty, and discriminatory governance practices.  
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Since the outset of my leadership I had to undertake the herculean task of ushering UNIFEM Canada into the next decade and counter various challenges posed by restructuring an organization entering a new decade.  A change in the executive leadership and a new approach to things should serve to highlight by example that UNIFEM Canada is a seriously devoted organization that works with other NGO’s and the United Nations to further women’s rights
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Under my presidency, the organization has expanded from its Ottawa head-office and is on the road to officiating new chapters in areas including the Peel Region, Vancouver, Calgary, Alberta, Toronto, Halifax and Montreal to spread the message of women's empowerment and gender-equality across the entire country.

The earthquake in Haiti brought a humanitarian disaster of unprecedented proportion to an impoverished and politically unstable country. In the light of the changed circumstances, I supervised the Board of Directors to launch a fund raising campaign via electronic donor cards to raise money for building shelters for women in Haiti and aid in the reconstruction of the government and institutions in Haiti in the light of gender-equality.
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Women are highly underrepresented in positions of leadership and authority. Historically, there exists a prejudice in many societies against women and their governing capacity, as a result of which many powerful position are male dominated. In my position as the President of UNIFEM Canada, I consistently work hard  to facilitate the leadership potential of women and plan on orchestrating innovative programming and educational campaigns to raise the profile of under privileged and economically insecure women and assist them to find role models and mentors as sources of inspiration. Furthermore, our educational campaigns will aim to educate the public of various legislation and international treaties of  the United Nations that entitle women to a greater role in the   governing process and leadership roles.

As of present, the deadly HIV/AIDS epidemic is  sprawling through the globe, and girls in sub-Saharan Africa are six times more likely than boys to contract the virus. Under my leadership, I look forward to supervising health campaigns on AIDS and its crippling impact on women and raise funds to assist the UNIFEM staff currently working with AIDS Clinics and counselling offices in Africa, India, Pakistan, Middle East and other parts of the world.
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Eradication of violence against women is also very high on the agenda. According to the recent statistics by UNIFEM,  six out of ten women around the world are victims of physical or sexual violence during their life time. Under the umbrella of various international treaties such as CEDAW (Conventions of Elimination of Discrimination against   Women) , The Beijing Platform for Action, UN Charter for Human Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom, the Canadian National Committee attempts to raise awareness of violence against women in various regions of Canada and in the international community at large.
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Besides violence against women, poverty is the biggest obstacle to UNIFEM’s gender-empowerment work. Research shows that the root cause of most gender-inequality is the economic insecurity of women. In today’s world, women are more likely than men to be poor and at risk of hunger because of systemic discrimination they face in education, health care, employment and control of assets. Under my presidency, I plan to follow the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) and alleviate poverty by raising funds for innovative women’s entrepreneurial and economic independence programs via implementation of the United Nations, Results Based Initiatives (RBI's) in the developing world.
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As the President of the Canadian National Committee, I also have an important responsibility to pressurize and cooperate with the various government leaders at home in Canada and internationally to develop fair political processes that are gender-equal while at the same time punish and prosecute offenders of gross injustices against vulnerable women, girls and their families.
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I would like put the future vision for my presidency and the objective for UNIFEM Canada in the words of the previous Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan who in the opening address to the United Nations stated that “Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.”
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With a professional and demographically diverse Board of Directors, active chapters in several regions of Canada, and strong support and encouragement from Canadians like you, we shall work together in a united front to eradicate social injustices and allow every woman across the globe a fair platform for freedom of expression and action. Let's work together to ensure that gender inequality, violence against women, HIV/AIDS, poverty  and the leadership role of women in democratic governance remain high-priority issues on the agendas of all governments across the world, including Canada. I am humbled by your support and I know we can work together and achieve justice for all women and create an equitable and gender-empowered world for the present and the future generations.

LET'S TAKE ACTION!  LET'S DO IT NOW!

Yours Truly,

Almas Jiwani
President ,
Canadian National Committee
United Nations Development Fund for Women (Part of UN Women)