Canada launches a Standing Table on Human Rights

Author Jahanzeb Hussain Syed

The government of Canada is establishing its first-ever Minister of Foreign Affairs Standing Table on Human Rights.

The Standing Table will serve as a forum to provide Ottawa with independent insight into matters related to its foreign policy, from women’s rights to the rights of persons with disabilities. 

A group of 14 individuals, ranging from professors to high-level human rights executives, are part of the new initiative. 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly’s announcement on Tuesday is meant to strengthen Canada’s global role in defending human rights. 

It comes as President Donald Trump’s dismantling of USAID has sent shockwaves through the international development sector. 

Trump’s comments on forcibly and permanently removing Gaza’s population from their homes, as well as his unilateral attempt to initiate dialogue with Russia over Ukraine, have raised further alarms over the state of human rights and international law.  

 

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  • Jahanzeb Hussain reports on global aid and international cooperation. He has over a decade of experience in journalism and research, spanning across multiple countries. He holds a research masters in anthropology from L'École des hautes études en sciences sociales, Paris. He currently lives in Montreal.

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