TIG Post

Tag: Global Affairs Canada

  • Canada alerts LGBT visitors about risks in the US

    Canada alerts LGBT visitors about risks in the US

    Canada has given a new warning to its LGBT citizens who want to visit the United States.

    There were a lot more protests against LGBT people in the US last year than in 2017, and there is also a growing number of laws being passed that limit the rights of LGBT individuals.

    Global Affairs Canada alerted people that certain laws in certain states might impact them during their journeys, but didn’t mention which states exactly.

    Usually, these warnings are only given to countries like Uganda, Russia, or Egypt.

    Some states have made rules that can impact people who identify as 2SLGBTQI+. The US travel advice page says to look at the laws of the state and city you are going to visit.

    In Canada, the term 2SLGBTQI+ is used to describe people who identify as two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, or intersex.

    A representative from Global Affairs Canada mentioned that there are laws in the US that specifically affect and target transgender individuals.

    “They said to CBC News that some states in the US have made laws stopping drag shows and limiting the transgender community’s ability to get gender-affirming healthcare and join in sports events since the start of 2023. ”

    In March, the governor of Tennessee passed laws that made it illegal for drag shows to be performed in front of children and limited the medical treatment that transgender youth can receive.

    Two months later, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis approved laws that prohibit kids from receiving transgender medical treatments or attending drag shows, and limit the use of certain pronouns in classrooms.

    Many states run by conservative politicians in the US have suggested lots of similar rules about LGBT matters.

    The Human Rights Campaign, which is the largest group that supports the rights of the LGBT community in the US, said in June that LGBT Americans are in a state of emergency. This is because some states are making laws that specifically aim to harm or discriminate against them.

    On Monday, someone ruined a painting in Florida that was made to honor Lyra McKee, an Irish journalist who was killed in 2019. They drew a swastika and wrote mean things about LGBT people on it.

    When asked why the advice had been changed, Canadian Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland said that the government asked experts to look around the world and see if there are any specific risks to certain groups of Canadians.

    She said no when asked if they talked to the US government before making the change.

  • 13,000 women to benefit from business hub at Voggu

    In order to provide 13,000 female entrepreneurs in the Kumbungu and Tolon districts with a one-stop shop for gen­der-responsive services to launch and expand small businesses, a women-friendly business hub has been built in Voggu in the Northern Region.

    The business hub will provide a well-coordinated, gender-responsive, and demand-driven suite of business services for women, including marketing and outreach, financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and business management, and the development of green value chains and enterprises.

    It is a prefabricated kiosk with its patent right from Germany and used globally for various inter­ventions, especially in off-grid locations as it is solar-powered and can provide uninterrupted electricity supply for the next 15 years.

    It is equipped with ICT facil­ities such as desktop computers, fans, information storage panels, internet connectivity, charging ports, freezer, television, filing cabinet among others.

    It is one of the innovative interventions under the Women’s Innovation for Sustainable Enter­prises (WISE) project, which is being implemented in Northern, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo re­gions by Plan International Ghana in partnership with WIDO and Urbanet, and funded by Global Affairs Canada.

    The WISE project seeks to leverage the enormous potential and agency of women entrepre­neurs to make a stronger contri­bution to poverty reduction by prioritising human rights, innova­tion, private sector engagement, as well as monitoring, evaluation and learning.

    Besides Voggu, two other women-friendly business hubs have also been established at Bomaa in the Tano-North Munic­ipality of the Ahafo Region, and Antwikrom in the Sunyani Munic­ipality of the Bono Region.

    Mr Solomon Tesfamariam, Country Director of Plan Interna­tional Ghana, during the open­ing of the hub at Voggu in the Kumbungu District, said it was to tackle the gender disparities in the economic sector to address the practical constraints to women’s full participation in transformative growth and development.

    Mr Tesfamariam said, “Over the past two years, the WISE project has equipped more than 13,000 women with knowledge in stan­dard practices for village savings and loans associations, financial literacy, life skills, good agronomic practices for soy cultivation and practical skills in beekeeping, mushroom cultivation and snail farming.”

    He added that “Nearly 3,500 women have been supported with varied inputs and services, which include improved seeds, inocu­lants, tarpaulins, e-extension ser­vices and beekeeping equipment to enable project participants start and grow their businesses.”

    He said, “With support from Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), the WISE project has provided business mentorship and coaching for 50 women-owned star businesses.

    This is to help women to adapt to the realities, of their own businesses, develop entrepreneur­ial vision, long-term plans and marketing strategies and support the entrepreneurs to make deci­sions related to finance as well as counselling on management of commercial relationships.”

    Mr Hamidu Hamza Saana, Northern Regional Trade and Industry Officer, who represented Minister for Trade and Industry, lauded the intervention and said it was in line with government’s new policy direction to support growth-oriented women enter­prises.

    He expressed gratitude to part­ners for the project, which would grow women’s businesses and contribute to the development of the country.

    Louise Paris, Counsellor – Deputy Director in-charge of De­velopment at the Canadian High Commission, said the project was to help improve the economic sit­uation of beneficiaries in line with government’s objectives under the one-district one-factory initiative.

    Naa Sulley Saaka, Chief of Voggu, acknowledged the valuable contribution of women in society and appealed for financial aid for women in the area to expand their businesses under the project.

    Representatives of AGI, Esoko, Oikocredit, Ghana Enterprises Agency, and Directorate of Crops Services of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture took turns to ex­press their support for the project and to render their services to the beneficiaries for the growth of their businesses.

    Source:  GNA