10 Ways We Made It Happen For Women!

Happy International Women's Day! This year has been an amazing and progressive year for the development of the women's social and economic rights. Check out Canada Without Poverty's top 10 events to #MakeItHappen for women in 2014-2015!

1. When Canada Without Poverty and Citizens For Public Justice released A Model National Anti-Poverty Plan for Canada

Via cwp-csp.ca

Canada has no plan to end poverty in Canada. In January 2015, the Dignity for All Campaign released a National Anti-Poverty Plan for Canada, a model plan for the government to actually take action on poverty for marginalized groups, including women.

To read it, just click on the link below the picture!

2. When over 100 women’s organization and their allies joined together to call for a federal debate on women’s issues in the 2015 election, including income inequality

Via UpFordebate.ca

When it comes time to elect our next government in 2015, over 100 organizations representing more than 3.5 million Canadians want to see party leaders explain how they plan to build a more equal Canada for us all, and make meaningful commitments to change women’s lives for the better, at home and around the world. This must start with a nationally broadcast leaders’ debate on issues identified by women. Over 30 years ago during the 1984 election, political party leaders John Turner, Brian Mulroney, and Ed Broadbent did just that. Via www.UpForDebate.ca

3. When the Inter American Commission on Human Rights released their report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women urging all levels of government to address the root causes of violence against Indigenous Women

Via cbc.ca

Women across Canada are posting photos on social media with the hashtag #AmINext in an effort to convince Members of Parliament to hold a public inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women.

4. When Patricia Arquette won the whole Oscars by calling for wage equality for women

“To every woman who gave birth to every tax payer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else’s equal rights. It’s our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women”

5. When Kathleen Wynne, the Ontario's first elected female Premier, made homelessness a priority for the province

Lucas Oleniuk / Toronto Star / Via thestar.com

And then she said this at the Women of Influence Conference: "By making the assumption that women had no influence over the founding of this country, we are taught that the influence of women only grows as we assume the rights and privileges that were once the exclusive domain of men. As women take on the roles, titles and powers that belonged to men alone, the influence of women continues to grow until, one day, we will be equal.”

6. When the motion to end child poverty, an issue that significantly affects single mothers passed almost UNANIMOUSLY at the House of Commons.

insidetoronto.com

Scarborough MP Rathika Sitsabaiesan says the House of Commons produced “a win” for all Canadians this week when it passed her motion to end child poverty in the country.

Their agreement – one MP from Saskatchewan voted no – means members of all parties are on record supporting her motion’s call for a national poverty elimination strategy.

7. When Canada Without Poverty and Citizens For Public Justice celebrated the second annual the ChewOnThis! Campaign

Michael Robinson / Ottawa Citizen / Via chewonthis.ca

The use of food banks continues to rise in Canada year after year, particularly among women and children. 833,000 people across Canada visit a food bank at least once a month and 1/3 of those visitors are children. This past October 17th, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Canada Without Poverty and Citizens for Public Justice celebrated the second annual ChewOnThis! campaign to raise awareness about food insecurity in Canada, to support the campaign by going to http://www.chewonthis.ca/join.

8. When Emma Watson appeared at the UN to launch #HeForShe and called on men and women across the globe to care about gender equality. And then returned to Hogwarts to defeat Lord Voldemort.

Wingardium Feminista!

9. When UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing and Canada Without Poverty's Executive Director, Leilani Farha, called on all subnational governments to fulfill their human rights obligations regarding adequate housing.

Via japantimes.co.jp

Under international human rights law, human rights obligations extend to all levels of government. This means government authorities at all levels must exercise their authority consistently with the right to adequate housing. Local government is closest to community needs and therefore can play a central role in bringing to light the most critical housing needs, particularly for marginalized groups, such women, people with disabilities and new immigrants, and ensuring effective responses by all levels of government.

Via - http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G14/248/16/PDF/G1424816.pdf?OpenElement

10. When these women urged a tax exemption on menstrual products - the cost is a serious barrier for women living in poverty – right now they are not considered “essential” medical products.

Via thetyee.ca

"Women in Canada have an income gap of 19 per cent, and there are higher rates of poverty and homelessness," Fraser explains. "We're earning less and facing more challenges."

AND YET...there is still so much work that needs to be done, particularly for women who live in poverty. To find out how you can help, follow the link below!