A/HRC/41/42/Add.1 women’s contributions and concerns. In 2018, the Office of the Coordinator for the Status of Women was replaced by the Department for Women and Gender Equality, whose mandate was expanded to advance social, economic and political equality with respect to sex, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. The Department is responsible for promoting a greater understanding of the intersection of sex and gender with other identity factors, including race, national and ethnic origin, indigenous origin or identity, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic condition, place of residence and disability. Provincial and territorial ministers are responsible for the status of women and commensurate offices within the public service, and some have independent advisory councils. There is also a federal, provincial and territorial forum of ministers responsible for the status of women that meets annually. 35. The federal agency on the status of women was turned into a full-size department, which was important for improving the coordination of laws and policies with accepted international standards nationwide. 36. The Canadian Human Rights Commission, established in 1977, is an independent human rights institution authorized to raise awareness of any human rights-related matter and administer anti-discrimination law. Under the Canadian Human Rights Act, it can investigate and settle complaints of discrimination in employment and in the provision of services within federal jurisdiction. 37. National mechanisms could be used for the legislative reforms needed to harmonize and coordinate the implementation of international human rights standards at all levels. The Special Rapporteur was informed that, for the first time in nearly 30 years, federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for human rights met to discuss priorities in relation to the international human rights obligations of Canada. She highlights that, for example, these meetings could be meant to systematically monitor and implement the United Nations standards on the elimination of violence against women under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. V. Manifestations of violence against women, its causes and consequences 38. Data on gender-based violence against women in Canada are collected but are fragmentary and, in general, incomparable throughout the provinces and territories, owing to differences in what is captured, counted and reported. In the absence of an exhaustive national observatory on violence against women, data are collected without comprehensive information-gathering and analysis at the national level. A. Femicide and gender-based violence against women 39. The Special Rapporteur received official general data on violence against women through Statistic Canada’s homicide survey. These data, however, lack an adequate gender lens.13 While the killing of all women and girls is included as a core focus of data collection for the survey, data are limited (e.g., minimal information on the context of crime, the history of the relationship and the prior history of violence), with little focus on justice and accountability following the femicide beyond the initial police charge. Furthermore, the homicide survey data do not address post-femicide information useful for prevention, including the monitoring of criminal justice and social responses and stereotypes. Both preand post-prevention initiatives are crucial and reciprocal. 40. Comparable data at the national level on specific forms of violence and genderrelated killings of women or on femicide are necessary for evidence-based policymaking. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the initial steps taken and good practices in some provinces regarding the establishment of observatories on femicide, in line with her 13 See www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/85-002-x/2017001/article/54879-eng.pdf?st=b4CCeKMU. 7