A snapshot of Canadian women for Int'l Women's Day 2015

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A snapshot of Canadian women for International Women's Day 2015

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By Doreen Nicoll | March 6, 2015

March 8 is International Women's Day! The United Nations theme is 'Empowering Women -- Empowering Humanity: Picture It!'

Here's a snapshot of Canadian women and girls.

According to the website 'Justice for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women,' Indigenous women are five times more likely to die as a result of violence. It's time for an inquiry into our murdered and missing Aboriginal women. Recommendations from the inquiry must be implemented in a timely manner.

In 2009/2010 the Canadian Network of Women's Shelters and Transition Houses reported 103,000 women and children were admitted to shelters across the country. Every day over 8,200 women and children live in shelters to escape domestic violence. Many have no choice but to return to their abusers. Canadians need more second stage housing, micro-loans for furnishings, full time jobs with benefits and affordable child care now.

Pay Equity was implemented in 1987 when the gendered wage gap was 36 per cent. In 2010 the Conference Board of Canada reported the gap was 19 per cent. Canadians can't wait another 23 years to end this gendered discrimination.

Fields dominated by women, including child care and personal support work, are notorious for undervaluing employees. Historically, there's been less unionization in female sectors. Blatant discrimination in hiring, promotion and compensation practices disenfranchise women.

Women take time away from work due to family care-giving responsibilities and experience losses of seniority, advancement and wages. Women often settle for part-time and precarious positions with no benefits. These economic losses are permanent and contribute to the higher rate of poverty among older women noted by the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development in its 2013 report.

This gendered inequality needs to be remedied.

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