Prince Minister Justin Trudeau is standing behind Bono’s ONE organization and its pledge to raise awareness surrounding gender inequality and extreme impoverishment with their “Poverty is Sexist” campaign.
In response to an open letter from Bono’s ONE — an organization which aids impoverished communities in Africa and elsewhere— the PM highlighted heartbreaking facts from the world’s poorest communities. “On behalf of the Government of Canada, I am writing you back to know that I wholeheartedly agree: poverty is sexist,” he wrote in a letter shared on Thursday. “Women and girls are less likely to get an education, more likely to be impoverished, and face greater risk of disease and poor health.”
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“I accept your challenge to lead,” Trudeau continued. “As a feminist, I know that women must be treated equally everywhere. That is why, as one of my first actions as Prime Minister, I named a gender balanced Cabinet. It is my hope that this will set an example for governments around the world.”
Trudeau also highlighted the government’s $785 million contribution to the Global Fund — another organization founded by Bono that fights AIDS, tuberculosis and Malaria — which was previously announced in May.
“But no one leader can make this happen alone,” Trudeau added. “Canada can play an important role, but we need other leaders around the world to step up, too.”
Trudeau received accolades from Bono himself, who tweeted a photo of the PM’s letter on U2’s Twitter account, writing, “Why the world needs more Canadas.”
