Ottawa, November 17th 2006 – A wide range of women’s groups in Canada (see list below) have endorsed the recommendation by a high level UN panel to establish a new independent women-specific agency at the United Nations. This and other recommendations on UN reform were released by the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel for UN System-wide Coherence last week.

A year ago today, in the midst of a heated federal election campaign, Stephen Harper promised in writing to improve the situation of women’s rights in Canada. A year later, the work of women’s and human rights groups is threatened and under attack.

On the eve of International Women’s Day, support women’s equality by spending an evening in the healing waters of Le Nordik Spa (only 10 minutes from downtown Ottawa!). 50% of the admission fee ($37+tax) will be donated to the Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA).

At the end of a historic two day conference this past weekend which brought together representatives from Québec, Aboriginal, and other Canadian and international women’s and human rights groups, women agreed that stronger social programs and increased social spending are key to combating discrimination and achieving equality for women.

CEDAW in 2007 - 2008: Preparing for the Upcoming Review of Canada at the United Nations

FAFIA and Oxfam Canada have partnered to host a strategic discussion this week (Friday, March 9th and Saturday, March 10th ) regarding the upcoming United Nations review of Canada under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) expected in late 2007 or early 2008. During this meeting, we will begin a discussion about the framework for FAFIA’s shadow report to the UN Committee, with a particular emphasis on women’s poverty.

Image courtesy of UNPACIn its 2007 budget, the federal government implemented a solution to the fiscal imbalance through the additional transfer of dollars to provinces and territories. The ways in which this money is transferred, and how it will be spent by provincial and territorial governments, will greatly affect women’s access to social services and programs.

Read FAFIA’s overview on the fiscal (im)balance, and what it means for women.

**Nancy Peckford, Director of Programs at FAFIA, recently presented at the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance meeting.

[…]in 2006, the Conservative government made several changes affecting women’s equality provisions that call into question the sincerity of its commitment to implement the UN recommendations. […] The justifications for these measures were that women are already strong, already equal, and therefore don’t need these policy supports. In actuality, however, although women have equality rights on paper, much more work needs to be done to make these equality rights a reality for all women in Canada.