Status of Women Canada
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International Women's Day
March 8, 2009
Strong Leadership. Strong Women. Strong World: Equality
In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on member states to proclaim a day for women's rights and international peace. Following the United Nations' lead, Canada chose March 8 as International Women's Day.
Each year at this time, Canadians celebrate progress toward equality for women and their full participation, reflect on the challenges and barriers that remain, and consider future steps to achieving equality for all women, in all aspects of their lives.
Over time, International Women's Day has grown into a week-long series of commemorative events and activities across the country. International Women's Week 2009 begins on Monday, March 2 and wraps up with International Women's Day celebrations on Sunday, March 8.
We encourage all Canadians - women and men, girls and boys - to promote International Women's Day / International Women's Week. Better yet, why not organize your own IWD/IWW event in your community, organization, workplace or school?THEME
Canada's theme for International Women's Day/Week 2009 is Strong Leadership. Strong Women. Strong World: Equality.
The theme reflects the government's firm belief that increasing women's participation and access to leadership roles and opportunities will help women and girls thrive, reach their full potential and fulfill their dreams, and help build a more prosperous Canada.
For Canadians, equality means women and men sharing in the responsibilities and obligations, as well as in the opportunities and rewards, of life and work. In Canada, leadership is key across society - from the private sector, to governments, to the general public - for people of all origins, generations and backgrounds to participate fully in our country's economic, social and democratic life, and ultimately, in improving the state of the world.
FACT SHEET
- In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on member states to proclaim a day for women's rights and international peace. Following the United Nations' lead, Canada chose March 8 as International Women's Day.
- International Women's Week 2009 takes place from Monday, March 2, through to Sunday, March 8.
- This year the theme is Strong Leadership. Strong Women. Strong World: Equality, reflecting the Government's firm belief that increasing women's participation and access to leadership roles and opportunities will help women and girls reach their full potential and help build a more prosperous Canada.
- Canadian women have made enormous strides. The current Government has the highest percentage of women in Cabinet in Canadian history. The House of Commons currently has 69 women - the highest number ever elected.
- Women are also increasing their participation in other aspects of Canadian life. Currently, women make up the majority of full-time students in most university departments.
- More women are also now part of the work-force - 58% of all women aged 15 and over currently are part of the paid work force, up from 42% in 1976. 47% of self employed Canadians are women, and 1 in 10 Canadian women are self-employed.
- There has also been a long-term increase in the share of women who are working in managerial positions. In 2004, 37% of those employed in managerial positions were women.
- While there are still opportunities for women to make gains, the Government continues to support women. Funding to the Women's Program at Status of Women is up 42% under Prime Minister Harper's Government, bringing it to its highest level ever. This ensures women from coast to coast to coast receive the services they need most.
- This Government also streamlined how funding was given to groups, creating two new funding components: the Women's Community Fund and the Women's Partnership Fund. This change allowed Status to widen its reach and saw a significant increase in the uptake of its funding and greater diversity among its funding recipients.
- In 2007-2008, the number of organizations that received funding from the Women's Program increased by 69%, largely due to a more proactive outreach strategy. Of the organizations that received funding, 41% were first time applicants.
- Furthermore, a total of 181 new projects were funding in 2007-2008, which are expected to reach more than 100,000 women directly and over one million women indirectly.
PRODUCTS AVAILABLE
To assist you in organizing an IWW / IWW 2009 activity, or simply to raise awareness of this year's theme, Status of Women Canada has prepared the following products:
- Poster, IWD / IWW 2009
Strong Leadership. Strong Women. Strong World: Equality
View Description of Poster in HTML (Web page)
View the Poster in Acrobat® 5* (1,217 KB, 1 page)
- Logo to create a Web link
If you want to promote IWD / IWW 2009 on your Web site, you can create a link to this page by downloading the following logo. Simply right-mouse-click on the image and save your copy now!
* In order to open, view, navigate and print Acrobat PDF files, it is necessary to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your system. If you do not have this software, it is downloadable free of charge. Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader, and follow the instructions to install it.
TO ORDER A POSTER
The IWD / IWW 2009 Poster (publication # 09-G-001) is now available to order online. There is a limit of 10 per school, 5 per organization and 2 per individual.
You can also send your requests by e-mail to publications@swc-cfc.gc.ca or by fax to 613-957-3359. Don't forget to include your mailing address and the number of copies desired.
Please note that you can also download electronic copies in Acrobat®5 from this Web site.