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Gender inequality issues
Gender inequality issues
Gender inequality issues
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Canada is a signatory to the United Nations Platform of Action which specifies the mainstreaming of gender into programs, into policy processes, and into decision making in order to achieve gender equality. Since the adoption of the Platform of Action at the 1995 United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, gender mainstreaming has gained wider acceptance among governments and other stakeholders (Woodward, 2008). The aim of gender mainstreaming is to ensure that gender components are considered in all sectors that affect the society (Status of Women Canada, 2007).
Purpose
It has been argued that gender mainstreaming is a potent approach that can transform how public policies are made by challenging existing policy paradigms and setting new policy priorities (Woodward, 2008). However, there has been a lack of evidence to support that gender mainstreaming exist in Canada. Therefore, whether Canada’s gender equality approach is gender mainstreaming or not is open for discussion. This discussion paper examines this issue by exploring the gender equality approaches adopted by Government of Canada. The challenges of implementing gender mainstreaming are highlighted, and finally recommendations are made.
Definitions
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) defines gender mainstreaming as: “a strategy for making the concerns and experiences of women as well as of men an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political economic and societal spheres, so that women and men benefit equally, and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal of mainstreaming is to achieve gender equality" (ECOSOC, 1997).
The Status of Women Canada defines gender ba...
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...he Government of Canada’s gender equality approach has been unable to interrogate already accepted analytical starting points (Paterson, 2010). The approach operates in a system of technology of rule, so there is no way the impact of the institutional structures can be separated from the policy outcomes. In this regard, gender equality analysis has become the government’s technology of rule (Prugl 2011).
Summary and Recommendations
To actualise gender mainstreaming, there is need to reposition the current gender equality approach from being a policy tool to an integrative approach that can change the institutional structures. The current gender equality approaches in Canada lack the potential of changing the current institutional practices. The current equality policy mix is a mainstreaming of gender based analysis and not gender mainstreaming (McNutt, 2010).
The contentious little book titled Women, Power, Politics maintains politics to be devalued, acknowledging the fact that only few people do vote, and women are unable to achieve within the realm of Canadian politics. Sylvia Bashevkin, the author of the book argues that Canadians have a profound unease with women in positions of political authority, what she calls the "women plus power equals discomfort" equation. She evaluates a range of barriers faced by women who enter politics, including the media's biased role of representing the private lives of women in politics, and she wonders why citizens find politics is underrepresented in Canada compared to Belgium. In clear, accessible terms, Bashevkin explains her ideas on how to eliminate “low voters turn-out,” “devaluation of politics,” "gender schemas," and "media framing.” She outlines some compelling solutions to address the stalemate facing women in Canadian politics which are; contesting media portrayals, changing the rule of the game, improving legislative quotas, electoral reform, movement renewals, and so on. This response paper would addresses the reality of a political mainstream, actions which should be taken against the oppressive elements of reality, and the awareness it brings through economic, social, and political environment.
Over several decades, Canadian women have greatly exceeded and made several advancement in earning women’s equality. Agnes MacPhail was a strong determined woman. At a young age, Macphail disliked housework and preferred helping her father with the farm livestock. She had longed for a life outside the farm work and hoped to attend school. However, Agnes’ family was in dire need for help to support the farm. She took action and never lost hope as she pleaded for two years for her parent's approval to go to school. With persistence and hope she gained their permission to start an education. Several women have shown phenomenal strength and conquered challenges to achieve equality. Women lived in a male-dominated society; however after 1914, Canadian
Gender equality had always been a vast topic for the ancients to solve and for modern society to improve on. From the society's early beginning of Masculinity to the gender equality contemporary world that we are maintaining, year 2016 has been exactly a century since women in Canada had first received their right to vote in the 20th century. In today’s world, it is not uncommon or abnormal for abounding amounts of females voting or running for political parties. This hundred-year recognition was earned through many female’s and male’s withstand to rights for women to vote. Many trials and obstacles were present for women when they were fighting for their right
Gaze, G (2009) ‘The Sex Discrimination Act after 25 years: What is its role in eliminating gender inequality and discrimination in Australia?’, Insights, vol.7,p.13-17, viewed 5 October 2011, .
Systemic discrimination has been a part of Canada’s past. Women, racial and ethnic minorities as well as First Nations people have all faced discrimination in Canada. Policies such as, Charter of Rights and Freedoms, provincial and federal Human Rights Codes, as well has various employment equity programs have been placed in Canada’s constitution to fight and address discrimination issues. Despite these key documents placed for universal rights and freedoms Aboriginal and other minority populations in Canada continue to be discriminated against. Many believe there is no discrimination in Canada, and suggest any lack of success of these groups is a result of personal decisions and not systemic discrimination. While others feel that the legislation and equality policies have yet resulted in an equal society for all minorities. Racism is immersed in Canadian society; this is clearly shown by stories of racial profiling in law enforcement.
Currently, Canadian women are helping women in third world countries gain the same rights Canadian women have received. Some well known foundations are ‘Because I Am A Girl’, donations are sent to girls in the third world country so that they can obtain food, shelter, and an education, allowing them make a change in their society. Canadian women would not have been able to create projects to help women in other nations gain their rights if not for The Married Women’s Property Act, World War I, The Person’s Case, and Canadian Human Rights Act. These key milestones in Canadian history have allowed Canadian women to continue fighting for women rights on a global stage.
Based on the preliminary research I conducted, I have been able to identify two key topic areas that are of interest to me and these include: immigrant women attaining jobs in Ontario and violence experienced by women in Canada. In regard to immigrant women attaining jobs, there are significantly higher unemployment rates and lower wages that they are faced with, in comparison to other immigrant men and Canadian-born men and women. The debate circulating around this issue seeks to answer whether gender, immigrant class, age, ethnicity and sexuality all play a role in an immigrant woman’s ability to be employed (TIEDI, 2010, p.1). Some key questions that have arisen focus on workplace policies and programs that create further disparity within the gender gap, rather than aiding immigrant women who have differing needs in the labour market. Questions posed, seek to find the contributing factors to lower wages and what can be changed in the regulations to create equity (TIEDI, 2010, p.6). As well, a study conducted by Anucha et al. (2006) examines what are the outcomes of immigrant women participating in the economy and how this varies from other males, along with the social impacts of being employed (p.5).
Poverty is a significant threat to women’s equality. In Canada, more women live in poverty than men, and women’s experience of poverty can be harsher, and more prolonged. Women are often left to bear more burden of poverty, leading to ‘Feminization of poverty’. Through government policy women inequality has resulted in more women and children being left in poverty with no means of escaping. This paper will identify some key aspects of poverty for Canadian women. First, by identifying what poverty entails for Canadian women, and who is more likely to feel the brunt of it. Secondly the discussion of why women become more susceptible to poverty through government policy and programs. Followed by the effects that poverty on women plays in society. Lastly, how we can reduce these effects through social development and policy.
Every year, over 250,000 people make Canada their new home. Attracted by its education system, economy and universal healthcare system, there are few other places in the world like it. All Canadians are guaranteed equality before the law and equality of opportunity, regardless of where they are from. However, some might argue that Canadian policy has not been put into practice as well as it should be. Is the concept of true equality a far-fetched idea? It seems that Canada has taken great measures to promote the integration of immigrants socially, but can the same be said for their integration economically? Politically? To judge whether or not Canada has been successful at promoting the integration of immigrants in these realms, a deeper understanding of Canadian policy must be considered.
Feminism, the theory of the social, political and economic equality of the sexes, is a topic today either accepted by many or rejected in a newer version (Mainstream post-feminism). Whether a feminist or not, looking at the number of women involved in Canadian politics it is obvious that equality has not reached this work field, where Canada ranks 63rd in terms of female politicians in the world. Many barriers are stopping women from participating in politics, even in 2016. From having self-doubt in the skills needed in politics, to a culture portraying the “traditional” role of woman as the housewife, Canadian women need to be shown that in today’s society these barriers can be overcome and they can make a difference in their communities as
The major way through which sexism and heterosexism shape social welfare policy is by generating issues that need to be protected or helping in identification of needs to be met. These issues and needs in turn become the backbone through which social policy are formulated in order to enhance the well-being of every individual and group in the society for better functioning of societal members.
In all societies around the world, women are treated as if they are a minority group, just like any racial or ethnic group that is out of the norm. The justification for considering women as a minority group and the existence of sexism becomes clear through the examination of social indicators, including education, employment, and income.
The “Politics” section, from the UN’s 2008 report of the progress of the world’s women, discusses in detail how women’s roles in government and politics in general have expanded and can continue to expand. Moreover, it also explores different challenges and obstacles women may encounter when it comes to politics, and how these obstacles can be overcome. In discussing these issues, the author describes a “cycle of political accountability”. This so called cycle is a process by which women’s engagement in politics results in a positive “feedback loop” whereby a more gender-balanced political system may arise. According to the report, there are five stages: mobilization, representation, legislation & policy, implementation, and transforming politics. Of course, the cycle can also go backwards leading to the loss of rights for women.
Despite many assumptions, gender equality is not limited to creating advancement and advantages for women. Instead, it simply aims to promote equal rights and access to
Introduction to Sociology, 3rd ed., Cambridge and Malden: Polity Press. Clifford, C. (2007) Are girls still marginalized? Discrimination and Gender Inequality in Today's Society! Foreign Policy Association. 27 May, available [accessed 30 November 2011].