New Delhi – This week, two major announcements impacting women’s empowerment deserve global attention. The first was a pioneering move by the Vatican to appoint Sister Simone Brambilla as prefect. Her mission is to oversee all religious orders in the Catholic Church. No woman has held this position before. The appointment marks an important step in Pope Francis' goal of giving women more leadership roles in church governance. Before 2022, it would have been difficult to imagine a woman leading a Vatican diocese. That changed when Pope Francis introduced the “proclaimed gospel.”
This document reformed the governance of the Curia. It caused all offices to be called “cathedrals” and allowed people who were not ordained priests or bishops to administer Vatican offices. Sister Brambilla, 59, is a Consolata missionary and a member of the order who has been the second-in-command of the order's ministry since last year. This historic decision is an important step forward in the empowerment of women. It’s a position that has long been considered a position that could or should be held by a woman. Not long ago, the Vatican Summit of Global Catholic Leaders emphasized the importance of giving women greater leadership roles within the Church. Cardinals, bishops and citizens from 100 countries attended the meeting.
It discusses the issue of women’s empowerment within the church. The proposal on deaconesses received 258 votes in favor and 97 against. Pope Francis also granted women the right to vote for the first time. This reflected his desire to give women more unusual decision-making power in matters of the Catholic Church. Participation in decision-making processes at the highest levels is also an important step towards achieving gender equality within the Church. He established two Vatican committees to consider the ordination of women as deacons. The second announcement was the resignation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Related to this is the campaign for prime minister. Current Transport Minister Anita Anand is a prominent candidate in the race. Anand is a senior member of the Liberal Party of Canada. Trudeau has been in power for ten years and has faced both successes and challenges. He plans to run for a fourth term in this year's election. But faced with increasingly severe challenges, he had to quit. Trudeau's resignation marks the end of a political career that began with great promise but ended amid difficulties at home and abroad. He faces challenges such as inflation, housing issues and immigration that have weakened the Liberal Party's position. Anita was born and raised in rural Nova Scotia, Canada. In 1985, she moved to Ontario and raised her four children with her husband, John, in Oakville. If elected, Anita Anand would make history as Canada's first female prime minister of color and Indian descent. Her election could mark a turning point in Canadian history, particularly when it comes to women's political empowerment.
Anand has played several important roles in her career. She was first elected to the Oakville Assembly in 2019. Later, she served as finance minister and defense minister. Trudeau's successor will face several challenges. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne and former Defense Minister Anita Anand are some of the potential contenders in the race. There are other candidates. Other front-runners for the Liberal leadership include former central bank governor Mark Carney.
Canada has a large Indian diaspora. Relations between Canada and India have become tense in recent months. The tensions began when Prime Minister Trudeau accused India of involvement in the shooting death of a Khalistani terrorist outside a Sikh temple in Surrey in June 2023. New Delhi suspends new Canadian visas. In addition to recalling High Commissioner Sanjay Verma from Ottawa, it also asked Canada to reduce its diplomatic presence in India. Several other diplomats and officials were also recalled. Candidates must declare their intention to run and pay a registration fee of CAD 350,000 by January 23. Electing a woman as prime minister could have a significant impact; and accelerate progress towards women's empowerment.
Trudeau's successor must address these controversies and policy challenges to restore the party's reputation. The main challenge is improving the party's image, which has declined over the past decade under Trudeau. The successor must repair strained relations with India and the United States and deal with an immigration backlog. This important task requires careful planning and strong leadership. Decisions made in the coming months will have a significant impact on Canadian politics and the progress of women's empowerment in the country.
