New York, USA, March 21, 2025: Canada’s decision to sign the Belém do Pará Convention marks a significant commitment to combating gender-based violence and strengthening protections for women’s rights. Equality Now joins other human rights organizations in welcoming this advance, which demonstrates the Canadian government’s long-standing resolve to uphold, protect, and promote gender equality, both domestically and across the Americas.
As a comprehensive international human rights instrument, the Convention affirms the fundamental right of women and girls to live free from violence and discrimination. A statement by Canada’s government states, “Through the convention, Canada will continue its efforts to eliminate gender-based violence and prevent gender-related homicides at home and internationally.
“Amid increased attacks on human rights defenders and growing global uncertainty, Canadian leadership in promoting and protecting human rights as a core element of Canada’s feminist foreign policy is more important than ever.”
What is the Belém do Pará Convention?
The Belém do Pará Convention, also known as the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women, is a pioneering legally binding instrument. Adopted in 1994, it explicitly recognizes violence and discrimination against women as a violation of human rights and as a systemic problem.
The Convention defines violence against women as any act or conduct, based on gender, that causes death or physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women, whether it occurs in public or private, including within the family.
Crucially, for countries that have ratified the Convention, it establishes clear obligations and measures for how States are required to act in preventing, investigating, punishing, and addressing violence against women. These standards play a key role in helping shape national laws on prevention and prosecution, and provide a powerful tool for civil society organizations and policymakers.
Advancing women’s rights and helping protect against rollback
International human rights treaties and conventions such as this can be major catalysts for the adoption of comprehensive national laws that strengthen legal frameworks and judicial systems to better protect human rights. They can assist with the development of much-needed specialist services, public awareness and education programs, and access to funding. Importantly, they also provide invaluable protection against attempts to undermine and revoke legal rights and protections.
A new global report by Equality Now analyzing sex discrimination in laws reveals how progress in advancing the legal rights of women and girls over the past five years has been slow, uneven, and increasingly at risk from a mounting backlash against gender equality. Alarmingly, in many countries, women’s legal rights have deteriorated significantly, with hard-won protections weakened or overturned through regressive judicial rulings, legislative changes, and withdrawal of funding.
Equality Now’s Shivangi Misra says that by signing the Belém do Pará Convention, Canada is helping to safeguard the legal rights and well-being of women and girls. However, Misra explains, “To ensure meaningful change, we urge Canada’s government to follow through with concrete actions that make this commitment a reality. For Canada’s accession to have a real impact, it must be backed by robust national implementation, monitoring, and oversight mechanisms.
“This includes not only full ratification and accession of the Belém do Pará Convention, but also active engagement with accountability processes and meaningful collaboration with women’s rights organizations to ensure its effective enforcement.”
The Convention was adopted within the framework of the Organization of American States (OAS), making it a legally binding instrument in the Inter-American System. As a regional body uniting 35 nations across the Americas and the Caribbean, the OAS promotes democracy, human rights, security, and development. It plays a crucial role in conflict resolution, election monitoring, and advancing regional initiatives on social justice and economic development.
Importantly, the OAS oversees the implementation of the Belém do Pará Convention, ensuring member states uphold their commitments to preventing and addressing violence against women.
With Canada’s declaration to sign on to the Convention, the United States is now the only full member of the OAS yet to sign, leaving women and girls in the country less able to access justice when their rights have been violated. We strongly urge the U.S. to follow Canada’s lead, sign the convention, and engage in multilateral efforts to advance women’s rights.