Despite a government report to the United Nations painting a “rosy picture” on women’s equality, women’s status in Canada has eroded in the past five years, labour and women’s groups say.
“Women in Canada have lost ground in many areas,” Barbara Byers, executive vice-president of the Canadian Labour Congress, said in a statement.
A coalition of groups including the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and the Feminist Alliance for International Action on Monday released what they call a “reality check” report on Canada’s achievements in women’s equality.
The report will be distributed at the UN World Conference on Women taking place in New York from March 1 to 12.
Five years ago, Canada was ranked among the top 10 countries worldwide for strides forward in women’s rights. But by 2009, it had dropped to 73rd place in the UN Gender Disparity Index.
“Canada no longer compares favourably against other nations in assessments of gender equality and the gender gap,” the report says.
The first large-scale UN-sponsored conference on women in 15 years, the NY meeting is expected to evaluate progress, identify challenges, and recommend policies to improve gender equality.
The report notes the government’s 2006 decision to cut the phrase “gender equality” from the mandate of Status of Women Canada while closing 12 of 16 Status of Women offices.
Then-Heritage Minister Bev Oda said at the time that the closures would save on unnecessary rent and utility bills, freeing up about $700,000 for women’s programs.
“What these offices don’t necessarily provide is the help directly to women. There was a lot of lobbying groups, there was a lot of advocacy,” Oda told CBC News.
The report also points out that the government removed the right to pay equity for federal public sector workers in 2009.
“Changes to gender architecture, shifts in government policy and programming, and the government’s inaction to the economic crisis have been felt by the most vulnerable women and girls in Canada,” said Sam Hammond, President, Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, in a press release.
Although women have made significant advancements in education and currently comprise over half of all undergraduate students, the hiring and promotion of women in academic institutions has not increased correspondingly, said the report.
Men with PhDs are still twice as likely to be become full professors than their female counterparts, and female academics earn just 79 cents for every dollar that male academics earn.
“Although Canada has made commitments to implement equal pay for work of equal value, the federal government hasn’t lived up to its commitments,” Patty Ducharme, vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, said in a release
“Women in Canada have lost ground in many areas,” Barbara Byers, executive vice-president of the Canadian Labour Congress, said in a statement.
A coalition of groups including the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and the Feminist Alliance for International Action on Monday released what they call a “reality check” report on Canada’s achievements in women’s equality.
The report will be distributed at the UN World Conference on Women taking place in New York from March 1 to 12.
Five years ago, Canada was ranked among the top 10 countries worldwide for strides forward in women’s rights. But by 2009, it had dropped to 73rd place in the UN Gender Disparity Index.
“Canada no longer compares favourably against other nations in assessments of gender equality and the gender gap,” the report says.
The first large-scale UN-sponsored conference on women in 15 years, the NY meeting is expected to evaluate progress, identify challenges, and recommend policies to improve gender equality.
The report notes the government’s 2006 decision to cut the phrase “gender equality” from the mandate of Status of Women Canada while closing 12 of 16 Status of Women offices.
Then-Heritage Minister Bev Oda said at the time that the closures would save on unnecessary rent and utility bills, freeing up about $700,000 for women’s programs.
“What these offices don’t necessarily provide is the help directly to women. There was a lot of lobbying groups, there was a lot of advocacy,” Oda told CBC News.
The report also points out that the government removed the right to pay equity for federal public sector workers in 2009.
“Changes to gender architecture, shifts in government policy and programming, and the government’s inaction to the economic crisis have been felt by the most vulnerable women and girls in Canada,” said Sam Hammond, President, Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, in a press release.
Although women have made significant advancements in education and currently comprise over half of all undergraduate students, the hiring and promotion of women in academic institutions has not increased correspondingly, said the report.
Men with PhDs are still twice as likely to be become full professors than their female counterparts, and female academics earn just 79 cents for every dollar that male academics earn.
“Although Canada has made commitments to implement equal pay for work of equal value, the federal government hasn’t lived up to its commitments,” Patty Ducharme, vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, said in a release
Friends Read Free