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NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(OTTAWA) December 9, 2005: A pan-Canadian alliance, which brings together more than 50 women's groups, is demanding that candidates in the upcoming federal election pledge their support for concrete and immediate measures to fulfill Canada's commitments to women's equality.
On the eve of International Human Rights Day, the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) is launching a national campaign to press parties and candidates to ensure that Canada upholds its obligations under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Canada ratified CEDAW in 1981, almost a quarter of century ago.
"Canada's reputation as a human rights leader is being tarnished by its reluctance to honour its commitments to women," said Shelagh Day, co-chair of FAFIA. "Canada cannot be a leader on human rights issues internationally if it ignores its human rights failings at home," she added.
Since 2003, FAFIA has been advocating for action on 23 UN recommendations regarding women's social and economic inequality. The United Nations has asked Canada to address:
●The persistent poverty facing one in every six women in Canada who is living below the poverty line;
●The lack of a federal pay equity law for women meaning that many women working full-time in Canada still earn 71% of what men earn;
●The overt discrimination in Canadian law against Aboriginal women who are restricted from passing on their Indian status, and do not have the same matrimonial property rights as other women in Canada;
● Women’s lack of access to civil legal aid, specifically in cases dealing with family law;
● Insufficient funding for shelters and transition houses for women and girls facing violence;
●Discrimination against immigrant, refugee and migrant wome, who are among the poorest women despite having high levels of education;
● The lack of core funding for women’s non-profit organizations.
FAFIA, through its network of activists and member groups, is targeting 25 ridings across Canada. Candidates of all parties will be asked to state where they stand on these issues and whether they will work to ensure that Canada lives up to its human rights obligations to women.
The campaign will target the ridings of the major federal party leaders, and prominent members of Paul Martin’s cabinet, including Quιbec Minister Liza Frulla who is responsible for the Status of Women, Reg Alcock, President of the Treasury Board, and Ralph Goodale, Minister of Finance.
In the published election platforms, no federal party has outlined how it will honour Canada’s commitments to women’s human rights. In response, FAFIA and the Coalition for Women’s Equality, among others, have asked that issues of significance to women be addressed clearly by the party leaders in the upcoming televised debate.
“Women have been waiting for a quarter of a century for accountability on Canada’s commitments to women’s equality. It’s time for all party leaders and candidates to rise to the challenge,” emphasized co-chair Sharon McIvor.
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For more information contact:
Nancy Peckford: (613) 232-9505, ext. 222 or (613) 292-7941 (cell)
More background information is available at: www.fafia-afai.org
FAFIA is an alliance of more than 50 Canadian women’s and human rights organizations, including the Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres, la Federation des femmes du Quιbec, the Yukon Status of Women Council, the DisAbled Women’s Network, the National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women, the Congress of Black Women of Canada, the National Association of Women and the Law, and the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women.
