About 150 of the most prominent women in Canada gathered at Rideau Hall to discuss women’s security Thursday.
The two-day Governor General’s Women Conference is intended to be an opportunity to celebrate the struggles that women in Canada and around the world have undertaken to have their rights recognized, and a chance to share ideas that will help them build on that success.
Outgoing Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean took time to reminisce on the lessons learned from the women she’s met during her five years as governor general — women from Victoria, B.C., to Kabul, Afghanistan.
“Throughout the world, women and girls of all ages are living in fear, imprisoned by walls of silence,” she said. “Women’s security is a fundamental priority, because it is essential for their emancipation and their participation in all key sectors of our societies.”
