Table of contents, March 2008 issue:
(click the link above to access the whole bulletin)

1. Absolutely Safe
2. Evidence for Caution: Women and statin use
3. Soft Targets: Nurses and the Pharmaceutical Industry
4. Women's Health Research Network : Summer Institute
5. Proudly Pro-Choice
6. Your Medicare Rights
7. Waves of Resistance
8. Gender in child and adolescent health
9. Marketing overdose campaign
10. Unborn Victims of Crime Act - Action Alert
11. Clinical trial survey – We want to hear from you

Subscribe to receive thebulletin by email
The Brigit Archives - issues of the bulletin back to 2001

Recent Developments in Caregiving - free newsletter by Beverley Smith (also available by subscription). Each issue includes recent news and information on a wide range of topics, including the positive effects of good care, the negative effects of bad care, caregiving research, the characteristics of caregivers, child and parent health, career trends, family finances, legal and political, and much more...

Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies
"CAEFS is a federation of autonomous societies which works with, and on behalf of, women involved with the justice system, particularly women in conflict with the law. Elizabeth Fry Societies are community based agencies dedicated to offering services and programs to marginalized women, advocating for legislative and administrative reform and offering fora within which the public may be informed about, and participate in, aspects of the justice system which affect women."
- large site, easy to navigate, incl. information about CAEFS, programs and services, conferences, fact sheets, annual reports, issue papers (Human Rights - Battered Women - Women’s Prisons - Young Women - Restorative Justice - Literacy), responses to proposed legislative changes - related Internet sources on prison issues and violence against women

More Promises to Women Not Kept
Press Release
March 8, 2005
"The Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS), Native Women's Association of Canada Strength in Sisterhood Society and Women 4 Justice are alarmed at what they consider to be tacit acceptance by the Canadian Human Rights Commission of the relative inaction of the Correctional Service of Canada. Four years ago today, CAEFS and NWAC, supported by more than 25 other national and international organizations, urged the CHRC to conduct a systemic review and issue a special report regarding the discriminatory treatment of federally sentenced women at the hands of the Canadian government."
Source:
Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS)
Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC)
Strength in Sisterhood Society (SIS)

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Women shut out of Employment Insurance: Study
November 22, 2007
By Monica Townson & Kevin Hayes
[ version française du Communiqué ]
TORONTO – Most women are getting shut out of Employment Insurance (EI) coverage in Canada, says a study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The gap between men's and women’s EI coverage is significant: 40 percent of unemployed men received EI benefits in 2004 while only 32 percent of unemployed women did. “Essentially, two in every three working women who pay into EI don’t receive a single penny in benefits if they lose their jobs,” says CCPA Research Associate Monica Townson, who co-authored Women and The Employment Insurance Program with Kevin Hayes.

Complete study:

Women and the Employment Insurance Program (PDF file - 796K, 40 pages)
Version française:
Les femmes et le programme d'assurance-emploi (fichier PDF - 781 Ko, 40 pages)

Related link:

Employment Insurance short-changes women, study suggests
November 21, 2007
Canadian women are being unfairly short-changed by the country's Employment Insurance system, which was made more restrictive a decade ago and now boasts a multibillion-dollar surplus, a study concludes. The study for the left-leaning Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, to be released today, finds the qualification requirements for EI have left many women who lose their jobs out of pocket despite having paid their fair share of premiums.
Source:
The Toronto Star

In for the Long Haul: Women’s Organizations in Manitoba - PDF File - 199 K, 24 pages)
August 16, 2005
"Just as women in Manitoba have done for decades past, feminist and women’s organizing for cultural, economic, political, and social change continues unabated. Indeed, many of the issues remain the same as during the second wave women’s movement. Although there may not be a province-wide group mobilizing women under one banner, this study has demonstrated that there is a substantial amount of activity taking place across a wide range of issues emanating from diverse perspectives and experiences."
Source:
Manitoba Office Publications
[ Manitoba Office ]
[ Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives ]

A Report Card on Women and Poverty
Monica Townson
April 5, 2000
Press Release
Full Report (PDF file, 75K, 17 pages)
Commentary(Monica Townson)

Canadian Council on Social Development

Bringing Down the Barriers: The Labour Market and Women with Disabilities in Ontario
Canadian Council on Social Development
May 2, 2000
Communiqué
Highlights Brochure
Resource People
Full Report

Canadian Federation of University Women
Founded in 1919, The Canadian Federation of University Women is a voluntary, nonpartisan, non-profit, self-funded bilingual organization of 10,000 women university graduates. CFUW members are active in public affairs, working to raise the social, economic, and legal status of women, as well as to improve education, the environment, peace, justice and human rights.

Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action - Alliance canadienne féministe pour l'action internationale (AFAI)
FAFIA is an alliance of over 40 Canadian women's equality-seeking non-governmental organizations formed in February 1999 at a national consultation of women's organizations held in Ottawa.

Sample content from FAFIA:

Government response to the recommendations
issued by the Standing Committee on the Status of Women (PDF file - 651K, 19 pages)
(Files posted to the Web September 20, 2006)
- Responses from the federal government to the recommendations issued by the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women on the 19th of May (see the link to "Third Report..." below).
- The recommendations by the Committee address pay equity, parental benefits, gender based analysis, and Status of Women Canada’s Women’s Program.
Source:
Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA)
[ Alliance canadienne féministe pour l'action internationale (AFAI)]
FAFIA is an alliance of over 40 Canadian women's equality-seeking non-governmental organizations formed in February 1999 at a national consultation of women's organizations held in Ottawa.
*****************
Excerpt from the FAFIA website home page on September 24:
"Great news! FAFIA has just received word that its funding application has been approved! NAWL's funding application has also been approved. We are very pleased and wish to thank the Minister for her attention to this application." [ go to the FAFIA home page for links to more related content...]
*****************

To Improve Federal/Provincial Fiscal Arrangements, Federal Social Transfer Must be Strengthened, Say Women’s Groups
News Release
April 11, 2006
"Ottawa: While Premiers meet in Montreal today to discuss the “fiscal imbalance”, FAFIA, a broad alliance of women’s and human rights groups, is calling on governments to strengthen social programs and services for Canadians in all jurisdictions."

Strengthening the Canada Social Transfer: A Call to Account (PDF file - 130K, 23 pages)
April 2006
- incl. Introduction - The Canada Social Transfer and Women’s Human’s Rights - The National Context for the Canada Social Transfer - Funding Formulas, Designations and Standards - Implementation, Monitoring and Accountability
"FAFIA (the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action) looks forward to a revitalization of the Canadian social union and to reengagement by governments in the work of developing and sustaining social programs and services that meet Canada’s human rights commitments."

Backgrounder (Word file - 39K, 2 pages)

FAFIA's Position on Child care
March 2006
FAFIA encourages the federal government to keep the agreed upon deals between the federal government and provinces to develop Canada's provision of early learning and childcare.

JOIN FAFIA in supporting a national child care program in Canada
March 8, 2006
FAFIA is focusing on the status of Canada’s national child care program for International Women’s Day. To this end, we are inviting all of our members to sign onto an open letter from a FAFIA partner organization, the Childcare Advocacy Association of Canada (CCAAC). It asks the Prime Minister, other federal party leaders and the provincial premiers to honor the existing childcare agreements between federal and provincial/territorial governments.

Women's Civil and Political Rights in Canada 2005
The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee
on the occasion of its review of Canada’s 5th report on compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
September 2005
Introduction - HTML
Full Report (PDF file - 179K, 55 pages)

Civil and Political Rights in British Columbia 2005
The Poverty and Human Rights Centre submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee
on the occasion of its review of Canada’s 5th report on compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
October 2005
Introduction
Full Report (PDF file - 140K, 48 pages)
Source:
Poverty and Human Rights Centre

Related Links from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:

Human Rights Committee Opens 85th Session
Press Release
17 October 2005
"The Human Rights Committee, which reviews the implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by its 153 States parties, this morning opened its eighty-fifth session, hearing an address by a Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, following which it adopted its agenda and programme of work."

Human Rights Committee - "Monitoring civil and political rights"
The Human Rights Committee is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by its State parties.

Human Rights Committee
85th Session (17 October - 3 November 2005)
Geneva

From WomenWatch*:
[*WomenWatch offers United Nations Information and Resources on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women]

Forty-Ninth Session of the Commission on the Status of Women
Beijing +10 (United Nations, New York, 28 February to 11 March 2005)
- meeting of high level representatives from 100+ UN Member States and thousands of NGO representatives to review progress made since the Fourth World Congress on Women held in Beijing in 1995. The Ten-Year Review and Appraisal are part of the 49th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

Official Documents for the Commission on the Status of Women 49th Session

Review and Appraisal of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
and the Outcome Document of the Twenty-third Special Session of the General Assembly

A Decade of Going Backwards: Canada in the Post-Beijing Era
Beijing+10 UN shadow report
February 25, 2005
"This shadow report provides a comprehensive analysis of Canada’s progress on the commitments it made to women’s equality ten years ago in Beijing.

Beijing+10 Research and Resources

Ten Years of Federal Budgets:
Double Whammy for Women
Press Release
"OTTAWA – February 3, 2005 – Federal fiscal choices have done little to improve most women's economic security over the last 10 years, says the first ever analysis of federal budgets on Canadian women. The ground-breaking report, released today in Ottawa by the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action, tracks a decade of federal budgets. Written by award-winning economist Armine Yalnizyan, it measures the federal government's performance against the explicit commitments it made to gender equality in Beijing in 1995. It shows that massive spending cuts unduly hurt women in the deficit era and women's interests have been largely ignored since Ottawa began posting surpluses."

Canada’s Commitment to Equality: A Gender analysis of the last ten federal budgets
By Armine Yalnizyan
Complete report (PDF file - 609K, 117 pages)
Executive Summary (Word file - 65K)

Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW)
"CRIAW is a research institute which provides tools to facilitate organizations taking action to advance social justice and equality for all women. CRIAW recognizes women’s diverse experiences and perspectives; creates spaces for developing women’s knowledge; bridges regional isolation; and provides communication links between/among researchers and organizations actively working to promote social justice and equality for all women."
- incl. links to : Home - About Us - Contact Us - Fact sheets - Publications - Research and Activities - International Activities - Members - Links, Activities, Actions, Campaigns
"Currently, CRIAW is looking to link the research conducted by various groups at the community level and scholarly research in a single online forum to promote awareness of initiatives addressing issues that deal with women’s poverty and exclusion."

Sample site content:

New Publications on Women’s Experiences
of Social Programs for People with Low Incomes
The Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW) is proud to launch a new comprehensive research report and a new fact sheet. These publications are part of CRIAW’s publication series on re-thinking economic and social justice: women resisting poverty and exclusion.

Integrating the voices of low-income women
into policy discussions on the Canada Social Transfer:
First Nations women in Vancouver, immigrant and refugee
women in Calgary and women with disabilities in Winnipeg (PDF file - 640K, 119 pages)
August 2007
Quantitative data about women and poverty already exist. This research provides meaning and texture to that experience of poverty, highlighting issues that quantitative research and policy analysis too often
overlook.

CRIAW FACTsheet : Women’s experiences of
social programs for people with low incomes (PDF file - 644K, 119 pages)
2007
Based on the above study, this fact sheet weaves together the voices of women with critical analysis and detailed evidence on how the devolution of social programs has impacted on diverse low-income women’s lives. It provides important evidence as to why and how listening to women’s voices is critical to knowing the real issues in policy making and programming. (...) It combines existing quantitative research with new qualitative research based on the perspectives of policy makers, social service providers, low-income First Nations, immigrant, refugee women and women with disabilities from three Canadian cities.

Disentangling the Web of Women’s Poverty and Exclusion (PDF file - 151K, 16 pages)
Spring 2006
"Women’s Poverty and Exclusion : The poverty experienced by so many women in Canada is simply not acceptable in a country that has boasted eight consecutive years of budget surpluses. CRIAW’s broad-based consultations on women’s poverty and exclusion clearly showed that the depth of this poverty has increased over the last 10 years, a period that parallels the erosion of the country’s social programs. The consultations confirmed that subsuming discussions of poverty within economic policies alone allows issues of social justice, rights, and accountability to be overlooked."

Women and Poverty
Third Edition - 2005 (Posted March 2006)
PDF version (167K, 12 pages)
HTML version
"Women and poverty are connected for many reasons. Various structural factors work towards making women more vulnerable to poverty, or to keeping them in poverty. Over the last decade, Canada has been moving towards a different model for its economy, drastically cutting social services."
Source:
Fact Sheets

Providing Tools for Social Justice & Equality for All Women
Press Release
May 14, 2006
"The Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW) announces the publication of its critical reflection piece Intersectional Feminist Frameworks: An Emerging Vision. This publication is the result of over two years of conversations with community activists and academics on the intersectionality of various inequalities experienced by historically marginalized groups. (...) This publication informs women’s and social justice organizations in exploring ways of bringing diverse women’s voices into the centre of research and action. “This critical reflection piece provides an emerging lens to review public policies, such as immigration and labour policies, as well as internal policies and ethics of social justice organizations,” says Marie Katherine Waller, Research Coordinator.
[Found on the DAWN-Ontario website]

Rethinking Mainstream Approaches to Questions of
Social and Economic Policy: Intersectional Feminist Frameworks

Intersectional Feminist Frameworks (IFFs) Think Tank Report (PDF file - 110K, 24 pages)

Intersectional Feminist Frameworks (IFFs) Critical Reflection Piece

Intersectional Feminist Frameworks: An emerging vision
This critical reflection piece is a social change resource that aims to provide social justice organizations with a deeper understanding of the intersectionality experienced by historically marginalized groups. In particular, the reflection piece brings to the forefront the discussion of Intersectional Feminist Frameworks (IFFs) for marginalized women who are disproportionately experiencing poverty and exclusion in systemic, institutional, and individual ways. IFFs take into account the differential impact of policies and practices on different groups of women because of their race, class, disability, sexual orientation, refugee or immigrant status and age. It takes into account the full diversity of women and the intersectionality of various characteristics, the global economic and social forces affecting women’s equality and national policy-making.

Disentangling the Web of Women’s Poverty and Exclusion!
This information tool reveals that the issues affecting women’s poverty and exclusion are deeply interconnected in creating a web of economic insecurity and marginalization. The lens of Intersectional feminist frameworks (IFFs) is crucial in disentangling this web and in bringing about social change. Disentangling the web is not enough. Solutions and strategies to achieve social and economic justice must be explored and implemented if we are to build stronger movements to strengthen civil society’s capacity to influence policy. This information tool is about making the voices of activists and advocates being at the forefront of the work for social change and women’s substantive equality.

Free copies: Phone: 613-563-0681 ext 221, Email: info@criaw-icref.ca
(There is a charge for posting and handling if you order 10 copies or more)

Source:
Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women
CRIAW is a research institute which provides tools to facilitate organizations taking action to advance social justice and equality for all women. CRIAW recognizes women’s diverse experiences and perspectives; creates spaces for developing women’s knowledge; bridges regional isolation; and provides communication links between/among researchers and organizations actively working to promote social justice and equality for all women.

Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)

15 days, 15 ways to end violence against women
This is a postcard campaign of 15 messages we would like the government to listen to.
You can help by sending a fax to your MP about which ever message speaks to you. Send one, send 10, send them all - the choice is yours.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

14 dead women, 15 years later
"Women who think themselves equal and free but who won't call themselves “feminists” might want to Google “marc lepine” and understand how much women — all women — are loathed."
Source:
rabble.ca

Google.ca Web Search Results: "marc lepine"
Google.ca News Search Results: "marc lepine"

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Google.ca Web Search Results: "National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women"
Google.ca News Search Results: "National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women"

Canadian Medical Association Journal

Risk of death among homeless women: a cohort study and review of the literature
April 13, 2004
Angela M. Cheung and Stephen W. Hwang
Abstract
Complete article:
HTML version
PDF version (146K, 5 pages)

Related Link:

Dying in the shadows: the challenge of providing health care for homeless people
Commentary on the article by Cheung and Hwang
By James O'Connell (Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School)
April 13, 2004
HTML version
PDF version (172K, 2 pages)

Homeless women 'crisis'
In Toronto, they're dying at 10 times the normal rate
AIDS, drugs, suicide common causes, researchers find
Elaine Carey
"Homeless women in Toronto are dying at 10 times the rate of other women between 18 and 44, according to a new study released today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal."
Source:
The Toronto Star

Canadian Policy Research Networks
"The Family Network supports CPRN's mission to help make Canada a more just, prosperous and caring society. To this end, we seek to identify the "best policy mix" for Canadians at every stage of their lives, from infancy to old age."
Family Network

A Decade of Challenges; A Decade of Choices: Consequences for Canadian Women
by Jane Jenson
[Click "Download" to open the file]
Release Date: 8 Apr 2004
Number of pages: 16
"Jane Jenson examines the impact on women - in the family, the community, or the labour market - of the misfit between social policy prescriptions and current social realities. She goes on to outline some of the implications for public policy."
Source:
Family Network

Canadian Women's Foundation (CWF)
The CWF was incorporated as a registered charitable foundation  in 1989. As Canada's first and only national public foundation for women and girls, CWF has earned  a reputation as an organization that is accessible to grass-roots women's groups. CWF was founded  to support results-oriented solutions to the problems faced by women and girls.

Canadian Women's Health Network
"The Canadian Women's Health Network (CWHN) was officially launched in May, 1993 by women representing over 70 organizations from every province and territory. Based on the visions, hopes and needs of women working in the women's health movement, the CWHN emerged from the generous dedication of health care workers, educators, advocates, consumers and other Canadians committed to sharing information, resources and strategies to better women's health."
- incl. links to : Network Magazine - Women's Health Topics - Women's Health Databases - Women's Health Links - Centres of Excellence for Women's Health - Brigit's Notes - About CWHN - Text Index - What's Hot - Health Links - What's New - français

What's New at the Canadian Women's Health Network

Sample site content:

Brigit's Notes: Women's Health E-bulletin <=== latest issue of the bulletin
Brigit's Notes is a monthly electronic bulletin that's full of great women's health news. It will keep you informed about what's new on the CWHN web site, including new policy initiatives, research, calls for submissions, events and conferences, new resources and updates on women's health issues and activism.

CWHN'S BRIGIT'S NOTES, September 2007
In this issue:
1. Debating Gardasil in Canada
2. New Canadian Study on Breast Cancer
3. Exploring Social Locations: Women's Health And Policy in Canada
4. Mental Health: Coping with Stress
5. Global: Gender equality, work and health
6. Canadians Concerned Over Costs of Long-Term Care
7. Western Canadian Conference on Addictions and Mental Health
8. Housing rights: A Canadian web site
9. Call for Papers: Other Borders International Women's Health Conference
10. Making Us Visible: Promoting Access to Breast Health and Breast Cancer Services for Lesbian and Bisexual Women

Network magazine - Spring/summer 2007 issue
The Spring/Summer issue (2007) of Network magazine, the official publication of the Canadian Women's Health Network, is now online. This issue includes several articles dedicated to violence issues, specifically, the missing and murdered women of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, as well as many other pressing women's health topics and concerns.

Complete issue:
HTML
PDF (2.5MB, 36 pages)

Feature articles include:

Editor's Note
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/9-34pg1.html

Aboriginal women too often the victims of racialized, sexualized violence
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/9-34pg2.html

Memorials for women across Canada
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/9-34pg3.html

The Global Women's Memorial
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/9-34pg4.html

Violence prevention is a public health issue
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/9-34pg5.html

What you need to know about the HPV vaccine
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/9-34pg6.html

New prenatal screening recommendations discriminatory
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/9-34pg7.html

The Children's Fitness Tax Credit: Less than meets the eye
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/9-34pg8.html

Silicone breast implants back on the market
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/9-34pg9.html

The global epidemic of tobacco use among women and girls
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/9-34pg10.html

It is time for a national birthing strategy
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/9-34pg11.html

Poor health and economic insecurity are realities for female unpaid caregivers
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/9-34pg12.html

Recommended resources
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/9-34pg13.html

Earlier issues - back to 1996

For more information on Network magazine, or to subscribe, please visit:
www.cwhn.ca

Reading Romanow : The Implications of the Final Report of
The Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada for Women (PDF file - 429K, 65 pages)
The National Coordinating Group on Health Care Reform and Women
January 2003 - Updated to April 2003
"Prepared by the National Coordinating Group on Health Care Reform and Women. Offers a chapter-by-chapter gendered analysis of the Final Report of the Royal Commission on the Future of Health Care, Building on Values: The Future of Health Care in Canada (Romanow 2002). Argues that the Report fails to recognize the significant ways in which health care is an issue for women, particularly for those women providing unpaid personal care and those receiving care.(...) Just as Canada should be a leader in seeing health as a human right, it should also be a leader in promoting gender equality in Canada and globally. Unless this is understood, planning for care is bound to fail in its objectives."
Source:
Centres of Excellence for Women's Health

Related Links:

What's Hot in Women's Health Policy
[Canadian Women's Health Network]

Online/Email Resource:

Brigit's Notes - (archives)
- Subscribe to Brigit's Notes

What's Hot in Women's Health Policy - links to Policy Research - Job Postings - Events and Conferences - Sites and listservs - Issues and Activism

The Canadian Women's March Committee 2005 - EVENT UPDATE for May 1st - 7th, 2005
"Exciting progress has been made by the Canadian Women March Committee to celebrate the reception of the Global Charter for Humanity. Events are planned in Vancouver, Yellowknife, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Moncton and Quebec City as the Charter travels across Canada. (...) The Charter was created and agreed upon by 6000 women's organizations world wide. It is based on 5 core values; equality, freedom, solidarity, justice and peace. It is a feminist vision of a world free of exploitation, poverty and violence. It was launched on March 8, 2005 in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and will finish its global journey in Burkina Faso on October 17, 2005."

Schedule of Events - includes information about Women's March events in Vancouver, Yellowknife, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Moncton and Quebec City - and a contact name and coordinates for each location.
[From the website of DisAbled Womens Network - Ontario]

Source:
Canadian Women's March Committee (also in French & Spanish)
"The World March of Women is a movement composed of women’s groups of diverse ethnic, cultural, religious, political and class backgrounds, and different ages and sexual orientation. Far from dividing us, this diversity unites us in greater, more far-reaching solidarity. In 2000, as part of the World March of Women, we wrote a political platform containing 17 practical demands for the elimination of poverty throughout the world, wealth sharing, the eradication of violence against women and the respect of women’s physical and moral integrity. We transmitted these demands to the leaders of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and United Nations. We received not even one concrete response. We also transmitted these demands to elected officials and leaders in our countries. Ever since, we have ceaselessly continued to defend our demands. We are proposing alternatives to build another world. We are active in the world’s social movements and in our societies. We are furthering the thinking about women’s place in the world and the place we should be occupying."

Women's Global Charter for Humanity
Adopted on December 10, 2004, in Kigali (Rwanda)
PDF version (126K, 5 pages)

---

Canadian Women’s March 2005
Get Ready for October 17th, 2005
24 Hours of Feminist Action and Solidarity
"The Canadian Women’s March 2005 Coalition is committed to the elimination of poverty and violence in Canada and to making the links between local and global actions. We are committed to continuing our work to meet the 13 demands developed by the World March of Women in 2000 to eliminate poverty and violence against women in Canada. Today, major investments on social programs are still needed and none of the 13 demands have been met. This is why in May 2005 we supported relaying the Global Charter for Humanity across Canada. The Charter was created and agreed upon by 6000 women’s organizations world wide. It is based on five core values; equality, freedom, solidarity, justice and peace. It is a feminist vision of a world free of exploitation, poverty and violence."
Related Link:
World March of Women in the Year 2000 - September 2000

Related Links:

World March of Women
October 17, 2005 - Join us for the 24 hours of feminist mobilization
"On October 17, women in all time zones will successively take to the streets at noon to stage actions for one hour. This is how they will show their support for the blueprint for society depicted in the Women's Global Charter for Humanity."

Relay of the Women's Global Charter for Humanity, March 8 - October 17, 2005
Between March 8 and october 17, 2005, there will be the world relay of the Women's Global Charter for Humanity. The women from various countries will be passing the Charter from country to country. They will also organise actions to highlight this symbolic passing and the values of the Charter. These women will be sewing together a solidarity quilt that will illustrate the values of the Charter.

CEDAW Call to Action - PovNet's CEDAW page (British Columbia)
Posted May 7, 2003
"The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) issued its Concluding Comments on Canada in April, 2003. It singled out B.C. for criticism because of the negative impact on women of cuts to welfare and legal aid, among other things.
Shelagh Day, who represented the B.C. CEDAW Group at the review of Canada's report, says, "The Committee states that it is concerned about the disproportionately negative impact on women and girls of a number of recent changes in British Columbia, including the cuts in funds for legal aid and welfare assistance; narrowed eligibility rules for welfare; the incorporation of the Ministry of Women's Equality under the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services; the abolition of the independent Human Rights Commission; the closing of a number of courthouses; the cut in support programmes for victims of domestic violence and the proposed changes regarding the prosecution of domestic violence.
BC CEDAW group has issued a call to action, asking people to write to the Premier as well as their MLA, to spur the BC Government into changing some of its discriminatory policies."
Source : PovNet

Centre for Research in Women's Studies and Gender Relations
[ University of British Columbia ]

Report Card On Women and Children in B.C. (PDF file - 146K, 4 pages)
March 15, 2004
By Michelle Stack
"Whether we like it or not, the media is part of governing."

Child Care Resource and Research Unit

Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and Canadian women in the paid labour force
- incl. Background: Data on the State of Canadian Women - ECEC and Working Women - Useful Print Resources - Useful Websites
Source:
ISSUE files

Community Social Planning Council of Toronto

If Low Income Women of Colour Counted in Toronto
September 2003
Executive Summary (PDF file - 211K, 16 pages)
Full Report (PDF file -798K, 110 pages)
"Based on discussions with more than a hundred and twenty women in nine of Toronto's low income neighbourhoods, the report finds that the [low-income women of colour] are isolated, overworked, subject to racism and discrimination, and chronically poor. Most have trouble finding jobs and most say the have nowhere to go to meet women or neighbours. Contrary to popular stereotypes of low-income people as abusers of public resources, few of them know about critical City services and supports."

Cowichan Women Against Violence (CWAV)
"Cowichan Women Against Violence Society works from a feminist perspective to provide a supportive environment for victims and children who have been affected by abuse. We support diversity, change, choice and growth through counselling, advocacy, emergency shelter, community development and education"
CWAV Programs
Children Who Witness Violence - offers individual counselling and support groups for children of battered women.
Horizons Program is a personal development and pre-employment bridging program.
Safer Futures Program is a community research and development program that works to create and maintain community environments that promote safety of women and children in public places, in work places and in their homes.
Somenos Transition House - provides emergency shelter and emotional support primarily for battered women and their children.
Women Against Violence Against Women - counselling, emotional support, information, court support and referrals for survivors of sexual assault, childhood and adulthood abuse.

DAWN DisAbled Women's Network Canada
"DAWN Canada is a national organization controlled by and comprised of women with disabilities. We are from all backgrounds and all disabilities. We are a feminist organization working to achieve control over our lives and end the stereotype that labels us dependent burdens on society."
- incl. links to : Our National Network - Our Mission Statement - Our History - Profiles of Women - Special Initiatives - DAWNing Groups - Related Links - Guestbook - DAWN Canada's Email Discussion

DAWN DisAbled Women's Network - Ontario
"DisAbled Women's Network (DAWN) Ontario is a cross-disability, feminist organization working towards access, equity, and full participation of Women with disAbilities through public education, coalition-building, self-advocacy, resource development, and information & communication technology."
- incl. links to : Text version - What's New - Resources - Publications - Justice Issues - Health Issues - Inclusion Award - Access Checklist - Online Community - Research Posts - Who We Are - What We Do - Our Vision - Herstory - Fact Sheet - Action Alert - Membership - Join E-List - Guestbook - Feedback - Contact Us - Credits
Links - Links to hundreds of websites about women and disability - excellent resource!

Sample content on the DAWN-Ontario site:

From DAWN Ontario (Disabled Women's Network - Ontario):

DAWN Ontario's Open Letter to Premier McGuinty
Re: Proposed Reforms to the Ontario Human Rights Code
March 19, 2006
"We, DAWN Ontario: the Disabled Women's Network Ontario, are writing to voice our strong opposition to your Government's plans to weaken the Ontario Human Rights Code, announced on February 20, 2006." [see the link below to the Feb. 20 govt. announcement].

Related Links:

Human Rights Reform Action Kit (DAWN-Ontario)
Help Prevent the Gov't from Weakening
Enforcement of the Ontario Human Rights Code
"On Feb. 20, 2006, the Ontario Gov't said it will introduce a law (likely late March or April) to change enforcement of the Ontario Human Rights Code. That system needs reform. It's too slow, frustrating, and hard for many to use. Yet, the Government's proposal will make things worse, not better. It will create new barriers that make it harder for people to get their human rights respected."

------------------
From the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General:

Ontario Government to Modernize Human Rights System:
Better Serving The Public The Aim Of Proposed Changes
February 20, 2006
News Release
"A stronger, faster, more effective human rights system that better serves the public is the aim of changes being proposed by the McGuinty government, Attorney General Michael Bryant announced today."
-----------------------------

Federal Election 2004:
DAWN Ontario's Voter Education & Awareness Campaign for Women's Equality Rights in Canada
- incl links to : Political Parties in Canada - Federal Ridings & Candidates - Tools & Resources
Equality Issues
--- Aboriginal Women --- Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Racism --- Childcare --- Democracy --- DisAbility --- Employment Insurance / Maternity & Parental Leave --- 2004 Federal Budget --- Housing and Homelessness --- Human Rights --- Immigration --- Income Security --- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, & Transexual Rights --- Poverty --- Student Debt --- Violence against Women --- Women's Equality Rights --- Women & ICTs --- Women & Politics --- Women in Prison
Source:
DisAbled Women's Network-Ontario

Women's Equality Rights Are Not For Sale!
Women's Legal Education And Action Fund (LEAF) to Argue at the
Supreme Court of Canada for Women's Right to Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value
Toronto - May 11, 2004
"On Wednesday, May 12th, the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) will appear before the Supreme Court of Canada in the case of NAPE (Newfoundland Association of Public Employees) v. Newfoundland. At issue in this case is whether the Newfoundland government's reneging on an agreement to compensate its female employees for discriminatory wages violates the equality rights guaranteed to women under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The question is, can Newfoundland pay women less than men for work of equal value?
This case affects 5,300 female employees of the Newfoundland government, and has the potential to set a precedent for female employees across Canada.

More? - 100+ Federal Election 2004 Links

Feed the Kids AND Pay the Rent Campaign (Ontario)
"...many families in Ontario they have to choose between paying their rent or feeding their children"
Campaign endorsed by:
- Advocacy Centre for Tenants
- Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA)
- DisAbled Women’s Network (DAWN) Ontario
- Income Security Legal Clinic (ISLC)
- Ontario Social Safety Network (OSSN)
- The Workfare Watch Project
- Somerset West Action Network (SWAN)

United Ways of Ontario's Government Relations Bulletin
March 16, 2004
From the DAWN-Ontario What's New page (the link above), you'll find links to the following Ontario-related articles:
Social Factors Drive Health Outcomes - Hospital Funding to Come With Accountability - Report Calls for New Investment in Non-Profit Agencies - Province Beefs up Family Responsibility Office - New Public Policy Resource for Non-profits and Charities - New Money for Children’s Aid - Municipalities Empowered to Hike Property Taxes on Businesses - Courts Upholds Charitable Property Tax Exemption
NOTE: each of these articles includes links to related reading and source material online
Source:
DAWN DisAbled Women's Network - Ontario

Women's History Month 2003
"In October 2003, Canadians will celebrate Women's History Month (WHM), with the highlight being Person's Day on October 18. The theme for WHM this year is What do you mean, women couldn't vote?"
- incl. : Questions and Answers about Women's History Month - What can I do to commemorate Women's History Month? - Suggested Readings - Some Web Sites of Interest - Video Suggestions - WHM 2003 Quiz - Evaluation and comments
Source:
DAWN DisAbled Women's Network - Ontario

Fédération nationale des femmes canadiennes-française
(This site is available in French only)
"La Fédération nationale des femmes canadiennes-française veut une société juste et égalitaire pour toutes les femmes vivant au Canada. La FNFCF représente les femmes de la francophonie canadienne vivant en milieu minoritaire. Elle défend leurs intérêts, revendique leurs droits et appuie leurs actions"
- liens vers les pages suivantes : Dossiers - En vedette - Nouvelles du jour - Quoi de neuf - Activités - Appels d'offre - Programmation - Centre de ressources - Communiqués - Bulletin - Membres - Équipe - Publications

Des droits sociaux pour les femmes francophones
en contexte minoritaire, une lutte pour éradiquer la pauvreté
Ce projet de recherche-action vise à lever le voile sur la réalité socio-économique des femmes francophones en situation minoritaire et à outiller des porteuses de dossier afin de poser les actions nécessaires pour améliorer la condition de vie des femmes.
- utilise une variété d'outils : données de statistiques Canada, ateliers de formation, rencontres provinciales, outils d'animation qui ont servi à former les femmes francophones en contexte minoritaire sur les enjeux de la pauvreté et des femmes, fiches d'information (avril 2005) portant sur les mesures de pauvreté, la sécurité alimentaire, le logement, les programmes sociaux, la santé et les outils et pistes d'avenir --- ainsi qu'un portrait par région de la situation des femmes francophones en contexte minoritaire au Canada.

Dossier Pauvreté
Des droits sociaux pour les femmes francophones en contexte minoritaire, une lutte pour éradiquer la pauvreté.

The Fulcrum Project
"Our goal is to raise awareness among the public and the media to humanize poverty in order to make reducing poverty a provincial election issue."

Report Card on Women and Children in British Columbia (PDF file - 118K, 4 pages)
June 15, 2004
Charitable Food Banks or the Right to Food: Which Way for BC?
Graham Riches

heroines.ca - A Guide to Women in Canadian History
"I believe there are some amazing women in Canadian history that most Canadians know nothing about. So I decided to try and change the situation by writing a book and developing a website which would serve as a guide to the topic of women in Canadian history."
- site developed by Canadian historian Merna Forster
- incl. links to: Home | About | Meet the Author | Contact | Site Map | Heroines | Biographies | Group Histories | Pictures | Cartoons | Posters | Stamps | Statues | Currency | Historic Sites | Women's History Month | Time Travel | This Month in History | Books | Shop | Classroom | Films&Videos | Related Links | Upcoming | Latest News

Imagining Public Policy to Meet Women’s Economic Security Needs (Conference)
October 13-15, 2005 – Vancouver

Keynote Address by The Honourable Monique Bégin, PC, FRSC, OC:
Have they Forgotten Women? (Word file - 78K, 11 pages)
[Meeting Women's Needs: Government & Imaginative Public Policy]

Presentations from this conference
Links to the following presentations (Powerpoint, Word and PDF files):
- Femocratic Administration and Women's Economic Security Panel - Tammy Findlay (York University)
- Women of an (Un)certain Age - Charmain Spencer (SFU Gerontology Research Centre) & Elsie Dean (Women Elders in Action)
- Economic Security for Women with Precarious Immigration Status: Ensuring Labour Rights for All - Jill Hanley (Universite Libre de Bruxelles)
- Supporting Women's Economic Needs Through A Universal Home Care Policy - Melodie Kelly (Memorial University)
- Moving Beyond the Policy Debate: How Process Improvements can Dramatically Impact Service Delivery in the Health Care System - Larua Zilney (Canadian Federation of University Women)
- Saskatoon Community Clinic Supporting Women's Economic Security - Louise M McKinney & Patrick Lapointe (Saskatoon CHC Co-op)
- Enhancing Social Policy in Canada: The Gore-tex Approach - Rhonda Breitkreuez (University of Alberta)
- All the work women do: Imagining household and group provisioning - Marge Reitsma Street (University of Victoria), Stephanie Baker Collins (York University), Sheila Neysmith (University of Toronto)
- Abolishing Mandatory Retirement: What are the Safeguards for Women?
- Gaps in practice: Redressing the Devaluation of Precarious Jobs - Nancy Zukewich (Statistics Canada)
- Community-based research processes: addressing the needs of multiple constituencies - Catherine M. Scott (University of Calgary), Michelle Murdoch (Memorial University), Laura Dreuth Zeman (Southern Illinois University), & Joan Farkas
- For Better or Worse? National Employment Policy Approaches and Women with Disabilities - John Vellacott (UBC)
- Making Work: Income Security for Women with Mental Illness - Marina Morrow (SFU)
- Re-Visioning the Environment of Support for Single Mothers in Extreme Poverty - Penny Gurstein & Silvia Vilches (UBC School of Community and Regional Planning)
- Towards More Egalitarian Policies on Prostitution: What Canada Can Learn from the International Community - Emily van der Meulen (York University)
- Identifying Keys to Successful Transition From Social Assistance to Paid Work: Lessons from Canada, the United Stes, Australia and Europe - Shauna Butterwick (University of British Columbia)
- “Learning to be Poor: Job Training and Women in the U.S. ” - Jane Henrici ( University of Memphis)
- Poverty, Indifference & the Struggle for Political Autonomy - Chrystal Ocean (WISE)
- Are Wage Supplements the Answer to the Problems of the Working Poor? (Word file - 59K, 15 pages)
Conference presentation by Andrew Jackson (Canadian Labour Congress)
===>NOTE Re. the wage supplements presentation: See A Working Income Tax Benefit That Works from the Caledon Institute of Social Policy (next section below on the page you're now reading) --- both of these reports deal with the Working Income Tax Benefit proposed by the federal government.

International Women's Day (IWD)
"International Women's Day (IWD) is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women. Find out what local IWD events are occurring near you for IWD 2005."

Organisations Supporting Women
"The following organisations have proudly listed their 2005 International Women's Day (IWD) event on this site. Learn more about what these organisations do and how you can become more involved with them."
- links to 150+ women's groups

Maclean's Magazine

Kids vs Career:
Many women can't find that elusive work-home balance and are choosing to drop out
March 15, 2004 Issue