Gender equality is under attack and, in the age of social media, itB次元官网网址檚 never been easier to taunt and spread abhorrent views, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a global conference on the issue Monday.

Trudeau, who was in Vancouver for the opening address of Women Deliver 2019, said that hatred is creeping in the public debate, with interest groups trying to roll back womenB次元官网网址檚 rights, while politicians are giving into the public pressure.

B次元官网网址淭he rights we enjoy in Canada, and the rights so many have enjoyed around the world, are not guaranteed. Progress can backslide,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e seeing it happen. Gender equality is under attack, and I can only imagine how hard it is to be a feminist on the front lines.B次元官网网址�

The prime minister didnB次元官网网址檛 say what he was referring to, although last week he said he planned to talk to U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence about the growing number of American laws that restrict abortion.

The Trump administration has also reinstated a policy known as the B次元官网网址済lobal gag rule,B次元官网网址� which bans U.S. federal funding for non-governmental organizations abroad that provide abortion services. Shortly after the U.S. adopted the rule in 2017, the Trudeau government committed $650 million for sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide.

Trudeau said the history of womenB次元官网网址檚 rights shows that every step forward is met by another push back, and women are still routinely facing misogyny, racism and hatred.

He said politicians are B次元官网网址渟hamefullyB次元官网网址� campaigning to undo womenB次元官网网址檚 hard-won victories.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 a daunting reality to face. My friends, we are not powerless. ItB次元官网网址檚 up to us to fight back,B次元官网网址� he said.

He also spoke to the crowd about the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, saying Canada can and must do better to end violence against all women.

His remarks were interrupted by a woman in the crowd who cried out, B次元官网网址淭hen do something!B次元官网网址�

Another yelled, B次元官网网址淪hame!B次元官网网址�

Despite the brief outburst, the crowd loudly applauded when he acknowledged that the report concluded that violence against Indigenous women amounted to nothing less than a genocide.

B次元官网网址淟et me be clear, our government will always be your partner, willing to admit when mistakes are made and working very hard to build a better future for all our children,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said.

B次元官网网址淢y friends, I know and you know that we canB次元官网网址檛 take our foot off the pedal, not even for a moment. ThereB次元官网网址檚 simply too much at stake. CanadaB次元官网网址檚 leadership isnB次元官网网址檛 going anywhere.B次元官网网址�

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Women Deliver is a global advocate for gender equality and the health, rights and well-being of girls and women. The four-day conference is billed as the worldB次元官网网址檚 largest event advocating for those rights.

The conference was attended by world leaders, including the presidents of Kenya, Ghana and Ethiopia, who joined Trudeau for a panel discussion following his speech.

Panel moderator Lyse Doucet, a BBC journalist, commended Trudeau for being one of the first world leaders to describe himself as a B次元官网网址渇eministB次元官网网址� and bring in a gender-equal cabinet.

But she noted he had a B次元官网网址渢ough year,B次元官网网址� given that he brought B次元官网网址渢ough womenB次元官网网址� into his cabinet, and asked how it had affected his feminism.

Former cabinet ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott were kicked out of the Liberal caucus this year after they alleged the Prime MinisterB次元官网网址檚 Office had pushed for Quebec engineering firm SNC-Lavalin to avoid a criminal trial.

Trudeau said the experience has increased his feminism and made him think differently about it.

B次元官网网址淔eminism and diversity and inclusion is not about making things easier. It often makes things a little more difficult,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址漈o have strong voices sticking up for different perspectives means youB次元官网网址檙e going to get challenged, means you get to challenge back, and you get to try and figure out what the right path is forward.

B次元官网网址淣o one person has the monopoly on all the right answers, regardless of their gender, regardless of their background, regardless of their position as prime minister.B次元官网网址�

Laura Kane, The Canadian Press

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