Global Fellow Jacqueline O'Neill Appointed as Canada's Women, Peace and Security Ambassador

WASHINGTON – The Wilson Center’s Canada Institute is pleased to announce the appointment of its Global Fellow, Jacqueline O’Neill, as Canada’s first Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security.

Says Canada Institute Director Laura Dawson: “I congratulate the Prime Minister on this stellar appointment. This is truly an example of the right person in the right job at the right time. The appointment of Jacqueline O’Neill elevates Canada’s global commitment to advancing the role of women in peace and security and protecting girls and women who face violence and insecurity.”

Ambassador O’Neill is a career security professional, who has helped to support the development of national security strategies in more than 30 countries. She has been a leading proponent for women, peace and security in such organizations as NATO, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the United Nations.

Prior to her appointment, O’Neill advised the Government of Canada on its Women, Peace, and Security National Action Plans. As President of the Institute for Inclusive Security, O’Neill supported coalitions of women leaders in Colombia, South Sudan, Sudan, Pakistan, among others. Through this work, she advocated for women’s meaningful inclusion in peace negotiations, national political dialogues, and policymaking. O’Neill was named a Global Fellow at the Wilson Center’s Canada Institute in 2018 where she contributes to the Institute’s outreach and security policy programming.

The Canada Institute at the Wilson Center is the only think-tank dedicated to exploring and strengthening the Canada-U.S. relationship. The Wilson Center is a nonpartisan public policy forum based in Washington, D.C. that is dedicated to advancing dialogue and the free flow of ideas on emerging policy issues.

For more information, please contact Savannah Boylan at Savannah.Boylan@wilsoncenter.org  or 202.691.4301.