ISLAMABAD: The Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Leslie Scanlon, along with ice hockey enthusiasts, including her daughter, who is an ice hockey coach, took part in five winter festivals held in Chitral and Gilgit- Baltistan in January 2023.
This was the fourth year that Canadians have actively participated in winter festivals to empower women and girls through sport; encourage environmental protection and responsible ecotourism while discussing the difficult impacts of climate change; and supporting community economic development, especially for women.
Through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, Canada has partnered with the Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) to support communities that have demonstrated their commitment to hosting inclusive winter festivals, sparking conversations on climate change adaptation and environmental protection, and to support women entrepreneurs .
The High Commissioner and her team traveled for 16 days to visit communities, coach young people in ice hockey, attend various festival events and engage with local leaders. The program brought together 40 men’s and women’s ice hockey teams and enabled more than 100 rural women entrepreneurs to showcase their products at Women Business Expos held alongside winter sports festivals.
“Canada has a feminist international assistance policy, which underscores our belief that by including women and girls in everything from politics to the economy to sports, only then can communities will thrive in Canada and around the world,” Scanlon said. “We all have a role to play in breaking down barriers and ensuring that women, girls and people with disabilities have every opportunity to succeed in life,” she added.
Meanwhile, AKRSP Managing Director, Jamil Uddin, also shed light on the aims of the project. Gilgit-Baltistan, as severe winters halt physical and economic activities in these regions. Therefore, AKRSP together with its partners provides an opportunity to activate physical and economic activities,” Jamil said.
The High Commissioner also visited international assistance projects funded under “Broadening Economic and Social Transformation for Women’s Economic Empowerment and Recovery (BEST4WEER)”. BEST4WEER is a five-year, $20.16 million project, jointly funded by the Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) and Global Affairs Canada, aimed at improving the social and economic empowerment of women.
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