16 days start now!

Wednesday November 26 | No comments

In 1991, women from around the world gathered to create 16 DAYS of activism against gender violence. They had come together for the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute, a project of Rutgers’ Center for Women’s Global Leadership. According to the university, “The 16 days bracket two milestones: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25 and International Human Rights Day on December 10.”

This year, the theme is Human Rights for Women ‹—› Human Rights for All: UDHR60. That last bit refers to the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is being marked on the 10th this year. The Center for Women’s Global Leadership puts it this way: “Human rights cannot be universal without human rights for women.”

Seems kind of obvious, but here we are!

In Canada, many see the devastating effects of gender violence continue will little notice, or sense that things can change. As a result, the YWCA has relaunched its Rose Button campaign this year, bringing more of a focus on taking action to stop violence against women. According to the YWCA:

• Over 31,000 incidents of spousal violence against women were reported to police in 2006, and it’s estimated that over 70% of incidents go unreported.
• Women are more likely than men to be the victims of the most severe forms of intimate partner abuse, such as homicide, sexual assault and stalking.
• Almost 40% of women in Canada who reported assault by an intimate partner said their children witnessed the violence. In half of those cases, the woman feared for her life.
• The devastating count of missing and murdered Aboriginal women points to a deep-seated gendered and racialized violence in our culture that impacts both Aboriginal women and women of colour.

The high levels of racialized, sexualized violence directed against Aboriginal women in Canada is a national and international shame. We urge governments in Canada to recognize these threats and take concrete action now.

— Beverley Jacobs, president of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, United Nations experts on women’s rights call for Canadian action plan to stop violence against Indigenous women | November 26, 2008

Today, three organizations urged “governments in Canada to recognize these threats and take concrete action now.” Their statement was a response to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women statement that all levels of government in this country should “give priority attention to combating violence against women” and create a comprehensive national plan of action to address the social and economic factors that lead to increased risk for Indigenous women and women from ethnic minorities.

sources

United Nations experts on women’s rights call for Canadian action plan to stop violence against Indigenous women, Native Women’s Association of Canada, the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies, and Amnesty International Canada, section15.ca announcement | November 26, 2008

Sisters In Spirit - Background, Native Women’s Association of Canada

Rose Button Campaign, YWCA Canada

16 DAYS of activism against gender violence, home page, Center for Women's Global Leadership
– 16 DAYS of activism against gender violence, 2008 theme, “Human Rights for Women ‹—› Human Rights for All: UDHR60”, Center for Women’s Global Leadership, Rutgers University
– 16 DAYS of activism against gender violence campaign discussion list, go here to join the 16 Days listserv
– Rutgers marks 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, by FREDDA SACHAROW, Focus, Rutgers University | November 19, 2008

16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

16 Days of Activism To End Violence Against Women, United Nations Population Fund
– Sixteen Ways UNFPA Works to End Gender Violence

creating the feminist history book society

Tuesday October 28 | No comments

A group of women have come together to develop a book collection “that tries to depict accurately the richness and diversity of feminist activity in Canada and Quebec between 1960 and 2010.” Right now, the group is eager to hear from people who want to discuss how this project should be developed, and from possible contributors.

Here’s more:

the project

We intend to publish a multi-volume collection of books that tries to depict accurately the richness and diversity of feminist activity in Canada and Quebec between 1960 and 2010. The books will be written by many different authors, and presented in many different formats: autobiographies, biographies, single- and multi-themed volumes, edited collections, plays, novels, etc. The unifying feature is that the books will be centrally edited and marketed as part of a comprehensive series. The diversity of feminism, including the complexities of gender, race, class, geography, culture, dis/ability, language, sexual identity, and age are central to the project.

Feminism has a history that predates the 1960s and will continue long after 2010. However, historical documentation has to start and end somewhere.

The topics we hope to cover will include:

• the history of feminist organizations (local, regional, national, direct service, topical etc.)
• autobiographies/memoirs/biographies of individuals who have been involved in the movement
• feminism in politics and the public service
• feminists in business, the professions, the workplace, unions
• feminism in art and sports
• feminism in social and human sciences
• feminism in reproductive issues and health
• feminism in education, religion, science, international affairs
• feminism and the media, and
• a host of other issues as suggested by potential contributors

publication and marketing format

We anticipate that this series will be widely read and widely accessible, and that it will provide a marvelous opportunity for diverse writers to come together to join in the chronicling of our history for posterity.

We expect to publish a minimum of one book a year, beginning in 2010. We will try to select feminist publishers, and anticipate using a variety of publication venues in accord with the wishes of our authors. We expect that all books will be published in both hardcover and paperback. The hardcover copies will be bound with uniform covers and spines that mark each one as part of a larger “collection.” The paperbacks can be more diverse, with different covers and formats. We also intend to make some or all of these books available in digital format on the internet.

The hardcover “collection” will be marketed as a series, much like a “book of the year club.” We hope to sign up thousands of feminists in Canada and Quebec as “members” of Our Feminist History Book Society, a built-in purchasing group for the books we will be publishing. For an annual fee of $75–100, members will receive the selected “book of the year.” Other books published in the series that year can be purchased as “optional extras.” The paperback books will be sold separately in commercial bookstores and outlets.

who is involved in this project?

The project is still in its preliminary formation, and has benefited from the input and assistance of a variety of feminists to this point:

• Marguerite Andersen
• M. Elizabeth Atcheson (Co-Editor)
• Constance Backhouse (Co-Editor)
• Monique Begin
• Mary Breen
• Susan G. Cole
• Margaret Conrad
• Shelagh Day
• Francine Descarries
• Margrit Eichler
• Ursula Franklin
• Lorraine Greaves
• Sylvia D. Hamilton
• Danielle Juteau
• Linda Kealey
• Michele Landsberg
• Tracey Lindberg
  – Meg Luxton
  – Diana Majury
• Lorna Marsden
• Maureen O’Neil
• Francine Pelletier
• Judy Steed

how to participate in this project

If you would like to be involved in the discussions about how this project should be developed, we would be pleased to hear your comments, suggestions, and ideas. If you would like to discuss writing a book, or part of a book, please contact:

• M. Elizabeth Atcheson meatcheson@sympatico.ca
• Constance Backhouse backhous@uottawa.ca

— The steering committee (Francine Descarries, Sylvia Hamilton, Tracey Lindberg, Beth Atcheson and Constance Backhouse)

Toronto: animate your weekend!

Monday October 27 | No comments

The Regent Park Film Festival is holding a professional 3-D live animation film workshop for everyone and anyone. It’s this weekend, November 1-2.

date: Saturday and Sunday, November 1–2
location: 600 Dundas Street East, rear basement at Focus, Regent Park Youth Media Art Centre
cost: Free for residents
$50 for both days for non-residents

register by calling 416.981.6737

NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE NECESSARY

The two-day film workshop:

... will create a 30 minutes animated film mixing greenscreen techniques with performance to insert the participants into archival photographs and 3D simulations of Regent Park. Participants will examine at historic neighbourhood photos, and then develop short scripts in small groups with Cayle Chernin, acclaimed Canadian producer, writer and actor. Participants will then perform their scripts in a greenscreen session with filmmaker Jason J. Brown.

The final result will screen at the Regent Park Closing Ceremony: an animated film using participants as actors in the historic and future world of Regent Park!

Richard Fung
Festival Manager
emaill: RPFFOutreach@gmail.com

Regent Park Film Festival
November 5–8, 2008
regentparkfilmfestival.com

Arbour over eggs

Friday October 17 | No comments

Louise Arbour talked about issues facing women and girls in Canada and around the world. | photo: Jude MacDonald

who: the Honourable Madam Justice Louise Arbour
what: interviewed by CBC Newsworld host Suhana Meharchand
where: Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund Persons Day Breakfast, Toronto
when: October 16, 2008

Every year, the Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund hosts events to celebrate Person’s Day. Yesterday in Toronto, the Honourable Madam Justice Louise Arbour had a conversation with journalist Suhana Meharchand after LEAF’s breakfast.

One major insight she gained while working at the United Nations, and as a prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunals:

I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but if I was, there is no other form of discrimination that is as universal and universally enforced as gender discrimination. None.

Gender equality is still far over the horizon, and the resistance is absolutely stunning.

Near the end of the event, Suhana Meharchand mentioned that there might be a job opening in the Liberal Party of Canada, and wondered if Louise Arbour was thinking about applying.

Yeah, you wonder, uh?

Well, when I finish unpacking, I will let you know. This is the very first time in my life where I haven’t actually jumped from one job to another. This is my gap year – long overdue.

I’m not making any long-term plans, but just to make it absolutely clear, national political life doesn’t carry a great deal of attraction for me.

According to LEAF, Louise Arbour has “been called the most influential judge on the planet.” Until recently, she was the United Nations high commissioner for human rights. She is currently between jobs.

vote low, rep high

Wednesday October 15 | 1 comment

Alienation, what alienation? Voting gets harder, a record number of Canadians don’t bother, and half the population wins less than a quarter of the seats. Both Democracy Watch and Equal Voice have some suggestions about how to de-dismalize the sorry state this election shows our democracy to be in.

the good(ish) news

A new record for the number of women elected as members of Parliament: a whopping 68 of the 308 seats in the House. Almost 25%! For roughly 50% of the population!

2008 – 68 women | 22%
2006 – 64 women | 21%

Kerry Gillespie of the Toronto Star writes, “Canada may have elected its first woman to the House of Commons, Agnes MacPhail, in 1921, but it has now fallen far behind leading European Asia and African countries that elect far more women.”

According to Equal Voice, among world democracies, Canada will now rank 46th: “[T]he showing for women was disappointing considering that more women ran than ever before – they were 29 per cent of the total candidates.”

Here at section15.ca, we don’t feel it's time quite yet to break out the bubbly and celebrate.

women on the verge of a nervous breakthrough

• 113 – Liberals fielded the biggest number of women candidates
• 18 – Liberal women were elected MPs
• 60 – Conservatives had fewer women candidates in the race than the Liberals
• 23 – Conservative women were elected MPs
• 15 – Bloc Quebecois women were elected MPs
• 12 – New Democrats women were elected MPs

— Equal Voice

the very bad news

There have been reports that people were confused, frustrated and unable to vote because of a new rule passed by Parliament that makes voting more difficult. This election, there was also a record low voter turnout.

The stats:

2008 – 59.1% voter turnout: a record low
2004 – 60.9% voter turnout: the previous record low
1958 – 79.4% voter turnout: Canada’s record high
— Figures from cbc.ca

The testimonials:

“You know, 1.4 million young Canadians didn’t vote in the last election. Well, these new rules aren’t making it any easier for students to vote.”
— MARK COFFIN, vice-president of education on the Dalhousie student council

“I think every Canadian should be able to vote. It made me sick to see so many conscientious Canadians not allowed to vote today.”
— PENDRA WILSON, Vancouver polling station representative

“I was … really rallying people to come vote … People who are, like, the toughest demographic to get to come out and vote. I had to come back and say, ‘I can’t vote!’”
— ANGEL HALL, Whitehorse resident who works with young aboriginal people. She had encouraged people to vote yesterday. She was turned away from the poll herself, because she didn’t have the identification now required to vote.

room for improvement ... a lot of room ... I hear echoes, even

“Despite the result, we are pleased all parties tried harder. We see many signs of growing awareness by Canadians that we need more women in elected office. We urge Prime Minister Harper to respond by appointing women to half the cabinet positions – and ensuring that women are represented well among the senior ministries.”
— RAYLENE LANG-DION, national chair of Equal Voice

“Our goal is unchanged – we want fair representation of women in Parliament. That means we need ALL parties nominating at least one third women, as the Liberals and NDP managed to do, and even better will be the day when half or more of the parties’ candidates are women. Only then will women be full partners in running our country.”
— ROSEMARY SPEIRS, Equal Voice founding chair

Democracy Watch is calling for changes to the Elections Act. Here are only a few of their suggestions:

• give voters the right to refuse their ballot (as is legal in Ontario and Alberta elections) so that voters can vote for “none of the above” (and require Elections Canada to feature this right in all their election promotion materials)
• change the voting system to ensure a Parliament that accurately reflects each party’s voter support (while ensuring small parties do not have undue power)
• reduce the voter identification requirement to one piece of ID with name and address, and increase opportunities to register as a voter even on election day
• empower Elections Canada to make merit-based decision about leaders debates
• require the media to report equally all survey numbers, especially undecided voters, to end the misleading hype of polls often seen in the past three elections

sources

Advocates aim to get more women in cabinet, by KERRY GILLESPIE, Toronto Star | October 15, 2008

Equal Voice urges PM to boost women in Cabinet as women elected to Parliament crack 21 per cent barrier (pdf download, 97.45 KB), Equal Voice media release | October 14, 2008

Voter turnout drops to record low, cbc.ca | October 15, 2008

New ID rules cause confusion at polls, cbc.ca | October 14, 2008

Illegal Federal Election Shows Clear Need For Changes to Increase Turnout, and Ensure Honesty, Fairness, Ethics and Representation, Democracy Watch | October 15, 2008

Voter Identification at the Polls, Elections Canada

a seat at the table, a serving of scraps

Monday September 29 | No comments

The list of confirmed candidates is out, and Equal Voice has released the final numbers showing how many women have been nominated by each political party. Equal Voice is the only organization providing this election resource.

Four of the country’s five major parties have a better percentage of female candidates, compared to 2006. Where does it get interesting? Just how many of those women have a chance of winning a seat.

Here are the national numbers as of September 25, 2008:

Conservative

candidates nominated: 307 of 308 ridings across Canada (national total)
number of women nominated: 60 / 20%
** winnable ridings with women nominated: 15%
2006 election / women nominated: 12%
2006 election / women MPs elected: 11%

Liberal

candidates nominated: * 307 / 308
number of women nominated: 113 / 37%
** winnable ridings with women nominated: 28%
2006 election / women nominated: 25%
2006 election / women MPs elected: 21%

NDP

candidates nominated: 307 / 308
number of women nominated: 104 / 34%
** winnable ridings with women nominated: 39%
2006 election / women nominated: 35%
2006 election / women MPs elected: 41%

Bloc

candidates nominated: 75 / 75 federal seats in Quebec
number of women nominated: 21 / 28%
** winnable ridings with women nominated: 32%
2006 election / women nominated: 30%
2006 election / women MPs elected: 33%

Greens

candidates nominated: * 304 / 308
number of women nominated: 89 / 29%
** winnable ridings with women nominated: 0%
2006 election / women nominated: 23%
2006 election / women MPs elected: 0%

Total Women Nominated in 2008 in five major parties: 387/1300 (29%)
Total Women Nominated in 2008: 437/1593 (27%)

* Liberals are declining to run a Candidate in Central Nova, where Green Party leader Elizabeth May is running. The Greens will not be running a candidate in Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion’s riding, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville. (section15.ca editor Jude MacDonald notes that the Green Party chose not to field a candidate against independent incumbent Bill Casey in the riding of Cumberland Colchester Musquodoboit Valley.)

** Winnable ridings are defined as ridings where the seat is currently held, where parties came in second by a margin of 10% or less in the 2006 election, or where there was a three-way contest in the 2006 election with a margin of less than 15% between the first and third place parties.

source

Equal Voice website
Equal Voice Federal Election Tracking (PDF download, Adobe Acrobat, 27.55 KB), Equal Voice | September 25, 2008

in the habit of voting

Thursday September 25 | No comments

“The best-educated generation of women in Canadian history – those who are currently under the age of 27 – are in fact less interested in the formal political arena, less knowledgeable about it, feel less political efficacy, and are less involved in the formal political process than their male peers or previous generations of women.”

— paper by University of Calgary researchers Melanee Thomas and Lisa Young | 2006

Voter turnout in 2006:

• overall – 63%
• ages 18–24 – 44%

According to a Toronto Star article, Thomas and Young “found that in the past 20 years, young women with university educations consistently had lower rates of voter turnout than their male counterparts.” What to do?

“Girls learn empowerment and leadership by example.”

— Paulette Senior

A coalition of organizations including Equal Voice, Girl Guides of Canada, Student Vote, TakingITGlobal, and YWCA is asking voters and politicians to make a pledge to bring a girl to the polls on election day. Help us in our efforts to engage young Canadian girls to take part in the democratic and political process that shapes our country, please fill out the form below to confirm your support.

TAKE OUR GIRLS TO VOTE! online pledge form.

source

Getting girls in the habit of voting, by ANDREA GORDON, Toronto Star | September 24, 2008

Equal Voice tracks federal election

Monday September 15 | 1 comment

On the Hill: MPs, senators and a party leader. | photo: Equal Voice

Equal Voice is “a multi-partisan, non-profit organization devoted to the still-bold idea that more women must be elected to every level of government in Canada.” Its mission is to “promote the election of more women and ultimately, change the face of Canadian politics.”

With this in mind, Equal Voice created the Canada Challenge for the current federal election. In March, 2007 – on International Women’s Day – the organization challenged the four leaders in Parliament “to use their authority to ensure that each political party runs more women in the next federal election.”

Conservative leader Stephen Harper, Liberal leader Stephane Dion, NDP leader Jack Layton, and Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe responded to the Canada Challenge by making statements in the House of Commons committing to electing more women on April 17, 2007.

Now, here we are.

We are happy to see that all parties have shown improvements in the numbers of women nominated in 2008. However, we are disappointed that the numbers of women still lag behind what is needed to attain gender equity in our nation’s House of Commons.

— Raylene Lang-Dion, Equal Voice national chair

This election, Equal Voice is tracking the numbers of women nominated by each political party. It is the only organization providing this election resource. According to Equal Voice, the research is based on Elections Canada data, media reports and information from party sources.

Here are the national numbers as of September 10, 2008:

Conservative

candidates nominated so far: 300 of 308 ridings across Canada (national total)
number of women nominated: 57 / 19%
** winnable ridings with women nominated: 15%
2006 election / women nominated: 12%
2006 election / women MPs elected: 11%

Liberal

candidates nominated so far: * 278 / 308 (90%)
number of women nominated: 101 / 36%
** winnable ridings with women nominated: 26%
2006 election / women nominated: 25%
2006 election / women MPs elected: 21%

NDP

candidates nominated so far: 194 / 308 (62%)
number of women nominated: 77 / 40%
** winnable ridings with women nominated: 37%
2006 election / women nominated: 35%
2006 election / women MPs elected: 41%

Bloc

candidates nominated so far: 59 / 75 federal seats in Quebec (78%)
number of women nominated: 19 / 32%
** winnable ridings with women nominated: 30%
2006 election / women nominated: 30%
2006 election / women MPs elected: 33%

Greens

candidates nominated so far: * 117 / 308 (37%)
number of women nominated: 34 / 30%
** winnable ridings with women nominated: 0%
2006 election / women nominated: 23%
2006 election / women MPs elected: 0%

* Liberals are declining to run a Candidate in Central Nova, where Green Party leader Elizabeth May is running. The Greens will not be running a candidate in Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion’s riding, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville

** Winnable ridings are defined as ridings where the seat is currently held, where parties came in second by a margin of 10% or less in the 2006 election, or where there was a three-way contest in the 2006 election with a margin of less than 15% between the first and third place parties

source

Equal Voice website
Equal Voice Federal Election Tracking (PDF download, Adobe Acrobat, 16.8 KB), Equal Voice | September 10, 2008

calling all Fredericton Rebelles!

Thursday September 11 | No comments

The following information was made available through the PAR-L email list.

The New Brunswick Rebelles will be holding information sessions in Fredericton for young women between the ages of 14 and 35.

Come find out about the upcoming Pan-Canadian Young Feminist Gathering in Montreal and how you can attend – and why you should! These are informal info sessions that will encompass the why and how of the conference, and outline some of our fundraising efforts. Questions and ideas are encouraged, and everyone is welcome. Bring a friend!

afternoon session
Wednesday, September 17
12 pm (noon)
UNBF Women’s Centre (in the SUB)

evening session
Wednesday, September 17
6 pm
Renaissance College (811 Charlotte Street)

evening session
Thursday, September 18
6 pm
UNBF Women’s Centre (in the SUB)

Email nbrebelles@gmail.com for more information about these information sessions, or to RSVP.

details, details

NB Rebelles blog
“The New Brunswick Rebelles have chartered a bus for 49 young women to travel to the Montreal Waves of Resistance/Toujours Rebelles conference!”

New Brunswick Rebelles on Facebook

Rebelles 2008
Curious about the Pan-Canadian Young Feminist Gathering Waves of Resistance, but can’t make it to Fredericton? Visit the event website. Waves of Resistance will be held October 11–13, 2008, at Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).

PAR-L email list
PAR-L is a bilingual (English/French) list open to any individual or organization interested in discussing policy, action, and research on issues of concern to women in Canada.

no justice, no health

Friday August 29 | No comments

Photo courtesy of WHO/Marko Kokic

Social injustice is killing people on a grand scale.

— Closing the gap in a generation: health equity through action on the social determinants of health, World Health Organization | 2008

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On December 10, 1948, nations came together in Paris to recognize that all human beings have fundamental rights and freedoms.

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

— article 25 (1), Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The World Health Organization has just released a report outlining how to ensure that the next generation is much healthier than people currently are.

Its main recommendations are:

1. improve daily living conditions
2. tackle the inequitable distribution of power, money, and resources
3. measure and understand the problem and assess the impact of action

The report – Closing the gap in a generation: health equity through action on the social determinants of health – includes gender equity, the consideration of housework, care work and voluntary work and fair representation in decision-making in its second point.

The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that, “Gender biases in power, resources, entitlements, norms and values, and the way in which organizations are structured and programmes are run damage the health of millions of girls and women. The position of women in society is also associated with child health and survival – of boys and girls.”

According to Canadian Monique Bégin – one of 19 members of the WHO’s Commission on Social Determinant of Health, which is responsible for the publication – “This report is a wake-up call for action towards truly living up to our reputation” as one of the best places in the world to live.

The problem is rooted both within nations, and between them.

For example, according to the WHO, “International flows of aid – grossly inadequate in themselves, and well below the level promised – are dwarfed by the scale of many poor countries’ repayment obligations. The result is that, in many cases, there is a net financial outflow from poorer to richer countries – an alarming state of affairs.”

Where we live affects our health and chances of living flourishing lives. Last year saw, for the first time, the majority of human beings living in urban settings. Almost 1 billion live in slums. The daily conditions in which people live have a strong influence on health equity. Access to quality housing and clean water and sanitation are human rights.

— World Health Organization, Closing the gap in a generation – how?

sources

Closing the gap in a generation: Health equity through action on the social determinants of health (10.31 MB PDF download), full report

Closing the gap in a generation: Health equity through action on the social determinants of health (5.34 MB PDF download), executive summary

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, background information about the declaration, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

‘Social injustice is killing people on a grand scale’: report, cbc.ca | August 28, 2008