Women's Inequality in Canada
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Women’s Inequality in Canada SUBMIssION OF THE CANADIAN FEMINIST ALLIANCE FOR INTERNATIONAL AcTION TO THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF DIscRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN on the Occasion of the Committee's Review of Canada's 6th & 7th Reports september 2008 Acknowledgments The preparation of this Report on Canada’s compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women has been a large, collaborative project, drawing on the expertise of the members of the Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA), as well as many other organizations and individuals who support FAFIA’s work, and believe in the full development and advancement of Canadian women. FAFIA wishes to thank the following organizations for their contributions: A Commitment to Training and Employment for Women, African Canadian Legal Clinic, Assembly of First Nations, Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies, Canadian Federation of University Women, Charter Committee on Poverty Issues, Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada, Disabled Women’s Network Canada, Guysborough Antigonish Strait Health Authority – Nova Scotia Health Authority, National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of Canada, POWER Camp, Vancouver Committee for Domestic Workers and Caregivers Rights, Women for Fair Voting, Women’s Housing Equality Network, Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), and the Yukon Status of Women Council. Thanks for personal contributions are due to Lynell Anderson, Cenen Bagon, Nancy Baroni, Vince Calderhead, Marie Chen, Rita Chudnovsky, Shabnum Durrani, Lucille Harper, Steve Kerstetter, Lee Lakeman, June Macdonald, Peggy Mahon, Sharon McIvor, Mab Oloman, Kim Pate, Bruce Porter, Jane Pulkingham, and Chantal Tie. Special thanks are due to Shelagh Day, Margot Young, and Aileen Smith for their co-ordination, research and writing. Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) http://www.fafia-afai.org) September 2008 . Women’s Inequality in Canada 2 table of contents I. THE FEMINIST ALLIANCE FOR INTERNatiONAL ACTION (FAFIA) .....................6 II. INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................6 CANADA’S NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE 2003 CEDAW RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................6 GOVERNMENT ACTION SINCE 2006 .........................................................................7 Women’S INEQUALITY IN CANADA 1999 - 2008 ....................................................9 Aboriginal Women ................................................................................................11 Women of Colour, Immigrant Women, and Refugee Women .............................12 Women with Disabilities ......................................................................................12 Girls and Young Women .......................................................................................12 III. VIOLatiONS OF ARTICLE 2 : DISCRIMINatiON AGAINST WOMEN ................13 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY AND THE SPENDING POWER ........13 Women’S ACCESS TO JUSTICE................................................................................14 Human Rights Legislation ....................................................................................14 Civil Legal Aid ......................................................................................................17 The Charter...........................................................................................................19 The Court Challenges Program ............................................................................20 INTERNATIONAL TREATY OBLIGATIONS ...............................................................21 IV. VIOLatiONS OF ARTICLES 2 AND 3: ABORIGINAL WOMEN .............................24 Discrimination in the Indian Act ..........................................................................24 Section 67 of the Canadian Human Rights Act ......................................................25 Matrimonial Property on Reserve .........................................................................26 V. VIOLatiONS OF ARTICLE 3: ADvaNCEMENT OF WOMEN .................................28 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ..................................................................................28 General Statistics and Trends ...............................................................................28 Inadequate Justice System Response ....................................................................30 Criminalizing Women Who Experience Violence................................................33 Inadequate Shelters and Transition Houses .........................................................34 Funding Cuts and Reduced NGO Capacity to Track Violence ............................36 Violence Against Aboriginal Women ....................................................................37 Criminalized and Imprisoned Women .................................................................41 Current Statistics and Trends ...............................................................................41 Risk Assessment and Treatment of Women Prisoners .........................................42 Accountability and Oversight ...............................................................................44 Women and Immigration/Refugee Status .............................................................46 Discriminatory Classification of Immigrant Workers ..........................................46 Women’s Inequality in Canada 3 Inadequate Protection for Women Refugees Entering from the USA ..................47 Immigrant Women of Colour ...............................................................................48 VI. VIOLatiONS OF ARTICLE 6: EXPLOitatiON OF WOMEN .................................49 HUMAN TRAFFICKING .............................................................................................49 Anti-trafficking Legislation ...................................................................................50 Protection and Support for Trafficked Women ....................................................51 Temporary Residence Permits ..............................................................................52 VII. VIOLatiONS OF ARTICLE 7: POLITICAL AND PUBLIC LIFE ............................53 UNDER-REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN POLITICS ..........................................54 FUNDING FOR Women’S ORGANIZATIONS ..........................................................57 Status of Women Canada’s Women’s Program .....................................................57 Status of Women Canada Policy Research Fund ..................................................58 VIII. VIOLatiONS OF ARTICLE 10: EDUCatiON ......................................................59 ACCESS TO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION .........................................................59 IX. VIOLatiONS OF ARTICLE 11: EMPLOYMENT ......................................................61 PAID LABOUR FORCE INVOLVEMENT – CURRENT STATISTICS AND TRENDS .......................................................................61 Sex Segregation .....................................................................................................61 Mothers in the Paid Labour Force ........................................................................62 Non-standard Work ..............................................................................................62 Aboriginal Women ................................................................................................62 Immigrant Women................................................................................................63 Women with Disabilities ......................................................................................63 Wage Equality .......................................................................................................64 Pay Equity: Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value ..................................................66 EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ......................................................................................67 Access to Standard Benefits ..................................................................................68 Maternity/Parental Benefits ...................................................................................68 Sick Leave .............................................................................................................70 THE LIVE-IN CAREGIVER PROGRAM ......................................................................71 LACK OF ADEQUATE CHILD CARE .........................................................................73 X. VIOLatiONS OF ARTICLE 12: HEALTH ..................................................................81 ABORTION ...................................................................................................................81 WOMEN, GIRLS, AND HIV/AIDS ...............................................................................83 XI. VIOLatiONS OF ARTICLE 13: ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL LIFE ..........................85 Women’S POVERTY ...................................................................................................85 SOCIAL ASSISTANCE ..................................................................................................85 Reduced Welfare Rates .........................................................................................87