Day two: Orientation for UNCSW 55

Canadian delegates attending the UNCSW55 trade union orientation meeting were asked to identify 3 challenges women are facing today in Canada ...our responses came quickly ..

1) Women's economic equality - pensions, child care, precarious work, pay equity.

2) Marginalization of aboriginal women and girls in education, health, violence, rights and status including  infant mortality.

3) Democratic marginalzation - defunding of feminist women's orgainizations by the Harper government; new criteria for funding became an emphasis on service rather than policy and advocacy; underrepresentation of women at all levels of government, and ongoing attacks on hard-won rights like reproductive choice.

Women left the orientation session ready to push back once again...and angry as hell !!

I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.~ Rebecca West

A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. ~ Margaret Mead