A majority of Canadians believe that "the promotion and protection" of sexual health education and reproductive rights should be a priority at home and across borders, according to a recent survey.
Ipsos — conducted on behalf of Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights — polled 1,001 Canadians over 18 this past January to gauge their perception of Canada and reproductive health rights.
Seventy-seven per cent of surveyed Canadians said they believe Canada should embrace the role of international and diplomatic role in promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights. Also, seven in 10 agreed that Canada should offer financial support to grassroots organizations across the world to advance sexual health education and rights.
However, about half of Canadians said they don't know what Canada has done to advocate for sexual health and reproductive rights and education internationally.
This perception also varies depending on age and gender.
Men and younger Canadians between 18 and 34 are more likely to believe that Canada is not globally contributing financial aid to this cause.
In terms of how Canadians perceive Canada's leadership with other countries, 34 per cent of young Canadians believe Canada is on par with its peers when it comes to distributing significant monetary aid in support of sexual health rights and education. This is compared to the 29 per cent of Canadians who said they believe Canada is doing better than other nations.