International Women's Day March 8



Think we have equality between women and men in Canada? 


Think again. Here are some statistics from the Government of Canada:

  • Not enough women are advancing into leadership roles

    • Women make up just 21% of Financial Post 500 board members.

  • We may have our first gender-balanced cabinet in Canada, but women are still under-represented in politics

    • 26% of those elected to the 42nd parliament are women; in 2015 women made up 28% of municipal councillors and only 18% of mayors.

  • Women in the workforce tend to earn less than men

    • Average earnings for women in all job tenures were 68.4% of men's earnings, suggesting a gap of over 30% in 2014; 2/3 of part-time workers are women.

  • Women continue to be responsible for the majority of caregiving

    • Women spend more time caring for children, spending about 50 hours per week on unpaid child care, compared to 24.4 hours spent by men; 
    • Women are almost twice as likely to spend more than 10 hours per week caring for a senior; 
    • Women spend an average of 13.8 hours per week on household chores, compared to 8.3 hours spent by men.

  • Women experience higher rates of gender-based violence:

    • Women are at a 20% higher risk of violent victimization than men even when all other risk factors are taken into account;
    • Women account for 87% of victims of sexual offenses;
    • Women make up 76% of sexual harrasment victims.

These women are your sisters, your mothers, your friends. Your future children. If we want change to occur, we need to do more than believe it's possible: we need to do something to make it happen.


On Wednesday, March 8, let's stand together and #PressForProgress. Wear purple in support of women's rights everywhere and do something to effect change: listen to a woman speak without interrupting; be aware of how you portray or respond to women in social media; support your female friends and family. Ask them about their experiences. Share yours. Because women shouldn't have to wait 217 more years for gender parity.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Let me know!

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