Today has been set aside for International Women's Day, with the focus for this years observation to #BreaktheBias a call to action for empowerment and the removal of barriers towards equality for women around the world.
It's really something that should be a guiding star for the other 364 days of the year as well, though for today, the focus is somewhat clear and the narrative one that puts the topic up front.
The #BreakTheBias campaign theme has delivered a wealth of material for review from the International Women's Day website, which features videos, expansive stories and resources to the message for the day.
British Columbia's MLA's got a head start on observing of the day on Monday, with a number of the province's elected officials using the Monday morning session to share their thoughts on the theme.
The conversation one that was started by the Interim Leader of the Opposition Shirley Bond, who provided some comments to put the work ahead in clear focus.
"Let's be clear. Despite the progress that we have made toward gender equality over the last 30 years — including increasing social equity, higher rates of reporting sexual assault and other forms of violence — sexism, discrimination and gender-based violence remain far too prevalent in our world. It continues to exist here in Canada and in British Columbia.
Women in Canada still make less money than men on average. B.C., under this government's watch, remains the worst gender pay gap in Canada, with women in our province making an average of 20 percent less an hour than men. In 2018, almost one in three women — 32 percent — 15 years of age and older felt unsafe or uncomfortable as a result of unwanted sexual behaviour they experienced.
Women continue to experience intimate partner violence at far higher rates than men, with almost eight in ten victims of police-reported intimate partner violence being female. In our conversations about gender equality, we also have to recognize that all women do not experience gender-based violence and discrimination at the same rate. Indigenous women and girls face increased vulnerability to gender-based violence as a result of specific barriers to safety.
They report experiencing violence at a rate 2.7 times higher than non-Indigenous women and girls. Persons with disabilities are also at a higher risk of facing sexual violence and deal with additional challenges due to stereotyping and discrimination.
These are staggering and upsetting statistics. They clearly demonstrate the continued need for action from all of us who work in this chamber and in our daily lives to further equality and fight sexism, misogyny and discrimination in all of its forms.
This year's International Women's Day campaign theme is #BreakTheBias. It not only speaks to the many outright examples of misogyny and violence against women — the things that we immediately think of when considering gender equality in our world — but also the less obvious stereotypes and unconscious biases that continue to have damaging effects on women."
The full day of statements and observations can be explored from the Legislature archive page for Monday's morning session.
The Day today begins with a joint statement from Premier Horgan and Grace Lore, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity.
Locally, officials, institutions and industry are all making their observations on the day through Social Media and internal programs and presentations.
To follow how the world is observing the day, follow the #BreaktheBias feed through Twitter
One regional event worth taking note of is a live stream from the Terrace campus of Coast Mountain College which has three speakers participating in an event from the Waap Galts'ap Longhouse on campus.
Sharing in the day's observations will be three guest speakers, CMTN Interim President and CEO Dr. Laurie Waye and CMTN Board Chair Nicole Halbauer Xsta'am Hana'ax, the trio will speak on the theme of “Breaking the Bias”.
That event starts at 11:30 AM and you can view the live stream from this link.
More notes on Community themes can be explored through our archive page.
Cross posted from the North Coast Review.
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