Fatima Abbasi

Advocating for Canada to continue to invest in ODA at scale, while ensuring that the promotion of gender equality remains central to Canada’s development objectives Gender Equality programs, with regard to women's leadership and support to feminist movements in Canada. Advocacy related to tackling inequality in Canada and globally, including taxation to address extreme wealth inequality. Advocacy related to Canada’s national Early Learning and Child Care system. Canada’s policies and programs on humanitarian assistance and crisis response, emphasizing the need for feminist, locally led, and principled humanitarian action. This includes urging Canada to uphold international humanitarian law, ensure unimpeded humanitarian access, and provide equitable, flexible, and multi-year funding for humanitarian response in conflict and climate-affected contexts Advocacy on Canada’s international policies and programs related to immigration, refugees, and humanitarian response, ensuring gender-responsive approaches that uphold human rights and protection for displaced women, girls, and marginalized communities. Obtain contributions from Global Affairs Canada programs with respect to Oxfam international development projects and the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Obtain contributions from GAC, ESDC, IDRC, IAAC and WAGE to fight poverty and promote women's rights and gender equality. Federal legislation on corporate due diligence for human rights and the environment. Federal budget regarding international development assistance and provision of funding for gender equality initiatives. Canada’s policies and programs on sexual and reproductive health and rights. Canada’s laws, policies and programs in relationship with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, especially women, girls, trans and Two-spirit people. Canada's policies on climate change, with regard to gender-responsive mitigation and adaptation commitments, and funding for adaptation, mitigation and loss and damage in low- and middle-income countries.

Working with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to improve visa processing times, the Study Direct Stream program, and lower refusal rates for international students accepted to Canadian universities Lobbying to maintain fair dealing for education. Lobbying for an explicit exception for charities, not-for-profits and/or educational institutions to Canada’s Anti-Spam Law (CASL). Increased supports for Indigenous students seeking to access post-secondary education. Harmonization of immigration policies with regard to the improvement of study and work permit processing to identify areas where policies and procedures could be strengthened. Engaging with reviews of existing legislation covering charities to clarify how they apply to educational institutions. Engage with Statistics Canada regarding postsecondary education and research data collection and analysis with particular attention to the University and College Academic Staff System survey and labour market information. Engage with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada regarding the role of universities in supporting innovation through the full suite of innovation initiatives (eg. Superclusters, economic sector tables, Innovation Canada, knowledge mobilization, digital research infrastructure etc.) Engage with Global Affairs Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and ESDC on the implementation of the government’s International Education Strategy – including the targeting and recruitment of international students and the design of the outbound student mobility program for Canadian students to study abroad. Engage with Department of Status of Women and Statistics Canada regarding data collection and policies/frameworks regarding student safety on campus. Discussions with Employment and Social Development Canada concerning international student mobility and internship programs. Discussions concerning federal budget priorities. Priority topics include: federal government's support for university research through the federal granting agencies and other government programs; support for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows; changes to the Canada Research Chairs program; university infrastructure; international research collaboration; knowledge mobilization; equity diversity and inclusion; cybersecurity; and expanding university education opportunities for Indigenous Canadians. Discuss effective strategies and programs to support student transition to the work place and access to upskilling and reskilling programs for mid-career Canadians with Employment and Social Development Canada, including the Student Work-Integrated Learning Program (SWILP) and the Canada Training Benefit.