This Gender Equality Week is unlike any before it.
The pandemic is creating a crisis in gender equality gains in Canada, and we’re seeing alarming new trends: immigrant and refugee women working in health care have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19; 33 per cent of women have considered leaving their jobs and women’s participation in the paid economy is at a historic low; service providers have sounded the alarm for increased gendered violence, and police report more domestic disturbances.
But this week also provides an opportunity. As we rebuild from the pandemic, we can centre gender equality in new ways. It’s crucial that we use this time to invest in a better future for women and girls. This week, join us in calling for change by taking one or all of the actions below:
1. Send this letter to call for a gender-responsive pandemic recovery plan
It only takes 2 minutes to send this letter to urge federal and provincial governments to put gender equality at the centre of post-pandemic rebuilding plans.
2. Join us LIVE to learn about our 5 bold ideas for gender equality in the pandemic
Ahead of the Speech from the Throne this week, join our President and CEO Paulette Senior as she speaks to 5 bold and crucial ideas we need in Canada’s pandemic recovery plan for gender justice. We’ll be livestreaming on our Facebook page, and it’s free to join!
3. Read and share “Resetting Normal”
Resetting Normal is a series of reports on gender equality and the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada that explores risks to human rights exposed by the pandemic, and proposes new ways to build a gender-equal Canada in pandemic recovery efforts.
Read the reports here, and share them with your networks.
Learn more:
- Gender Equality Week 2020
- Listen to our podcast: Alright, Now What?
- 4 Reasons We Can’t Ignore Childcare Issues in the Pandemic
As a immigrant woman that has all my basic needs easily met by my husband – My comment is that until ‘CARE’ work is more highly valued, we will not have gender equity. Women are typically the care givers to children, parent / seniors and caring for a sick family member. Women, therefore, CHOOSE to work less or not work in order to provide better care.. Women still have to choose between having a job while caring for their home, children and parents or building a career while handing over care for their loved ones to strangers.
Universal Basic Income would allow women the freedom to choose. To choose to update her skills while she is raising her children, to choose to pay for a cleaning service while she works a job so she can stay in the work force, to choose to pay a PSW to check in on her parents. CHOICE should be at the core of Gender Equality.
UN WOMEN SDG’s progress-on-the-sustainable-development-goals-the-gender-snapshot-2020-en
Read this great international analysis of what is happening to women around the world.