Women's Equality Branch
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All Issues | 2014 Issues

WOMEN FEMMES NB

IN THIS ISSUE:

• ENDING POVERTY THROUGH PARITY
• NOTICES
• DID YOU KNOW?
• TRANSFORMING GENDER ON DOC ZONE
• PROOF GROWS THAT FEMALE EXECUTIVES BRING BIGGER PROFITS
• FATHER OF REHTAEH PARSONS SPEAKS OUT ABOUT CYBERBULLYING AT UNITED NATIONS

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ENDING POVERTY THROUGH PARITY

A new set of development goals will be launched in 2015. How can investing in women and girls accelerate progress on the new goals?

Speakers: Katie Couric, Melinda Gates, Erna Solberg, Paul Polman, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Paul Kagame.

Watch the video: http://www.weforum.org/sessions/summary/ending-poverty-through-parity

The year 2015 could be a landmark one to lay the foundations for achieving gender parity, according to panellists speaking at the 45th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. The Sustainable Development Goals, set to frame the post-2015 development agenda, are expected to be adopted at a United Nations summit in September. The goals build on, and go beyond, the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Already, there have been remarkable achievements, but despite optimism about realizing gender parity, panellists agreed there is much work to be done, which will require leadership. Education and technology, particularly the internet, cut across every aspect of women’s empowerment.

“In implementing the MDGs, we’ve gathered evidence about what works. We know that girls’ education is a game- changer,” said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Undersecretary-General and Executive Director, United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN WOMEN), New York. “Many countries need to embrace and adopt vigorously what we know,” she said. Mlambo-Ngcuka called on countries to use the knowledge we have to make a difference. “This is a question of leadership,” she added.

Rwanda is a role model in gender parity for developing countries. “In rebuilding Rwanda we needed to involve everybody. The constitution says 30% of parliamentarians must be women. We mobilized the population; 64% of our parliamentarians are women,” said Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda. “Women were a disadvantaged group in our society. Our mission was to deal with that problem as well as benefit from it; 52% of our population is women.”

Continued: http://bit.ly/1De7cgS

NOTICES

Trades & Tech Gala for Girls – SAINT JOHN. There will be a Trades & Tech Gala for Girls event on Thursday, April 16^th from 5:30-8:00pm at NBCC Saint John. All high school girls from grades 9-12 are invited to come explore exciting non-traditional careers and meet fascinating women working in these fields. This event is free of charge and a pizza dinner is provided. To register or for more info, please visit our website: http://bit.ly/1t4vDXB, email [email protected] or call (506) 462-5910.

UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality is pleased to announce its 3rd Call for Proposals for women-led Civil Society Organizations programmes for women’s economic and political empowerment. Details of the application process and eligibility criteria can be found in the Call for Proposals document. The online application system will close on April 5 2015, 23:59 New York time. Applications must be submitted online. The Fund for Gender Equality will not accept applications submitted via email, regular post and/or fax. http://bit.ly/19peiTC

New toolkit: You Are Not Alone - A Toolkit for Aboriginal Women Escaping Domestic Violence provides Aboriginal women with community safety planning resources to address domestic violence. The toolkit also includes a Who’s Who: Domestic Violence Resource Guide of services available to Aboriginal women in every province and territory. Hard copies of the toolkit can be ordered free-of-charge to raise awareness about domestic violence in communities. An electronic copy of the toolkit will be available online at: www.nwac.ca. For more information or to place an order, contact: Cherry Smiley, Project Manager – Violence Prevention and Safety, Native Women's Association of Canada at [email protected]  | 613-722-3033 ext. 234 | Toll free: 1-800-461-4043 | Fax: 613-722-7687.

Support all survivors.  Have the conversations. End victim-blaming. International Day Against Victim-Blaming – April 3^rd. Join an ONLINE day of action for the fourth annual International Day Against Victim-Blaming, commemorating and continuing the amazing ongoing international actions against sexual violence and victim-blaming. Speak out against the intersections of discrimination and shaming that survivors face as women who were 'asking for it', people who were drunk, as trans* people and queers, as sex workers, as prisoners, as migrants, as people of colour, as people living with disabilities, etc. Take up space on April 3rd to fight for the right to live free of sexual violence and victim-blaming. Because survivors deserve our support not our scrutiny. http://bit.ly/1G1zInT

The Hunting Ground - a startling exposé of sexual assault on U.S. campuses, institutional cover-ups and the brutal social toll on victims and their families. Watch the trailer.

Unleashing the Splendor Within Girls Who Write: Two half-day workshops for “tween” and teen girls who want to write. We’ll talk about the basics of storytelling, the finer points of creative writing, and a bit about publishing.  Saturday, April 11 and Saturday, April 18, 2015, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm (snacks provided), Smythe Street Cathedral, 913 Smythe St., Fredericton, $40 (cash or cheque). Pre-register by email: [email protected] or Jill Kozak [email protected], or call Smythe Street Cathedral at (506) 458-8206. If you want to attend and cannot afford to do so, ask about a sponsorship.

Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick is offering the following workshops in April:
· Moncton - April 22nd - Doing your own Divorce 
· Bathurst - April 23rd - Separation: Legal Considerations
· Fredericton - April 30th - Preparing for a Family Court Hearing
· Edmundston - April 30th - Séparation : considérations juridiques
Click here to register.

Bowl for Kids’ Sake. Put together a team of 4-6.  Grab your friends, family and co-workers then join us under the big top for a day of fun and prizes to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Start fundraising and spread the word! Fredericton, April 11^th - Community Day, 12pm-3pm; April 12^th - Bank Day, 12pm-2pm; April 25^th - Oromocto, 9am-12pm.  Register by phone at 506-458-8941, online at www.bowlfred.kintera.org or by email at [email protected]

Critical Incident Group Debriefing (CIGD), Fredericton: May 13, 2015. Early rate $189 (April 22); Regular rate $210. CIGD is a short-term group intervention process that focuses on an immediate event. While participants of this workshop will learn how to facilitate a group debriefing, they will also learn how to discern when CIGD is appropriate for a group or when it might not be a suitable intervention. Some of the Topics Covered:
· Role of Group Debriefing
· Different Reactions to Critical Incidents
· Preparing for a Group Debriefing
· Group Debriefing Phases
· Benefits and Problems with Group Debriefing

The Federal-Provincial-Territorial Status of Women Forum invites you to mark your calendars: Sexual Violence Knowledge Exchange, Wednesday, June 17, 2015, 8:00 am. to 4:00 pm. (Central time), RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg. This dynamic and timely event will bring together leading minds from across the country to raise awareness and understanding of sexual violence in the Canadian context. Details will follow about guest speakers and how to register. Approximately 200 spaces will be available for in-person attendance. The event will be webcast for wider audience participation. There is no cost to attend. http://bit.ly/1EqH6sx

Family Enrichment - Personal and Professional Development Programs (Fredericton, NB): A Support Group for Women; Raising a Challenging Child; Raising a Spirited Child; Anger Management; Grief Support Group; Raising Stepchildren; How to Be More Assertive; Overcoming Anxiety and Panic… To find out more, call 506-458-8211 or e-mail [email protected].

Family Enrichment - Spring 2015 Lunch & Learn Series (Fredericton, NB): Boundaries in Relationships; Anxiety and Panic; 5 Ways to Increase Mindfulness; Craving Change… To find out more, call 506-458-8211 or e-mail [email protected].

Family Enrichment and Counselling Service, Fredericton is offering two upcoming workshops:
· Introduction to Therapy with the Postpartum Woman, Friday, April 17, 2015, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, and
· Clinical Intervention Skills with the Postpartum Woman, Friday, May 15, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm.
$119 for each session.  Please note that attendance to Day 1 is a pre-requisite for attendance to Day 2. Fee for the day includes lunch, breaks, and learning materials. Contact: Anne Marie Hartford, Executive Director, Family Enrichment and Counselling Service. Fredericton, Tel: (506) 458-8211; Toll-free: 1-888-829-6777, www.familyenrichment.ca

Current Opportunities to Serve on New Brunswick Agencies, Boards and Commissions (ABCs):   Qualified women and men having the highest personal and professional integrity are invited to serve on New Brunswick agencies, boards and commissions (ABCs).  For more information, check out the following link:    ABC current opportunities  

Voices of New Brunswick Women Consensus-Building Forum – Contact Us: Sartain MacDonald Building, 551 King Street, Suite 103,  Fredericton NB E3B 1E7, T. 506.462.5179, F. 506.462.5069, E. [email protected], www.voixfemmesnb-voiceswomennb.ca.

TRANSFORMING GENDER ON DOC ZONE

The battle over the rights and freedoms of transgender individuals is the first great civil rights struggle of the 21st century. In the last five years, mainstream culture has woken up to the vivid presence of transgender people in their midst. From a generation of gender variant children and pop culture celebrities, to transitioning superstar athletes and soldiers, trans people have never been more visible.

Behind the headlines though, a darker picture emerges. Transgender people are among the most persecuted, least protected people in our society. Many transgender people live in fear of being evicted from their homes, being fired from their jobs, and being denied medical treatment. A 2011 survey of 6,000 transgender individuals found that more than half reported experiencing harassment in public accommodations, including bathrooms, restaurants, and hotels. More than one in three transgender people attempt suicide at some point in their lives. Violence is a constant threat, especially against transgender women.

But increasingly, transgender people are organizing and fighting back against the discrimination. And while the pursuit of rights and protection for transgender people is decades behind that of gays and lesbians, blacks or women, few doubt that the era of trans enfranchisement is upon us.

TRANSFORMING GENDER tells this story exclusively through the voices of our characters. Through a set of compelling and intimate vignettes and narratives the film opens up the world of transgender people to an audience that may have little awareness of what it means, and what it is like, to be — fundamentally and in your deepest core — in conflict with the gender you were assigned at birth. And it’s a wide and richly nuanced reality, because every story of transition is different, and every transgender journey is different.

Watch the whole story at http://bit.ly/1G8N6U9

PROOF GROWS THAT FEMALE EXECUTIVES BRING BIGGER PROFITS

When Rohini Anand took over diversity programs at multinational catering company Sodexo in 2002, she had one goal: To prove that it pays for a company to have equal numbers of male and female managers.

Sodexo, which has 419,000 employees in 80 countries, says she's done just that. A company-wide study last year found that units with equal numbers of men and women in management roles delivered more profits more consistently than those dominated by men. (…)

Evidence is growing that gender equity is not just politically correct window-dressing, but good business. Yet while companies are trying to increase the number of women in executive positions, many are struggling because of a failure to adapt workplace conditions in a way that ensures qualified women do not drop off the corporate ladder.

The case for companies to act is compelling.

In a survey last year of 366 companies, consultancy McKinsey & Co. found that those whose leadership roles were most balanced between men and women were more likely to report financial returns above their national industry median.

Companies with more balanced leadership do a better job recruiting and retaining talented workers, reducing the costs associated with replacing top executives, McKinsey found. They also have stronger customer relations because management better reflects the diversity of society, and they tend to make better business decisions because a wider array of viewpoints is considered. (…)

While most big companies now have programs to increase gender diversity, many executives express frustration these programs aren't working. McKinsey found that 63 per cent of the employers it surveyed had at least 20 initiatives to address gender equity, but women held less than a quarter of the top jobs in 92 per cent of the companies.

Continued: http://bit.ly/1HwZ9uA

FATHER OF REHTAEH PARSONS SPEAKS OUT ABOUT CYBERBULLYING AT UNITED NATIONS

The father of Rehtaeh Parsons says he delivered a statement to the United Nations on Monday, telling the commission on the status of women how his daughter's death after a suicide attempt in 2013 was directly related to cyberbullying.

Glen Canning confirmed in an email that he delivered the statement during a panel discussion entitled Violence in the Digital Age.

Parsons' family says the girl was 15 years old when she was sexually assaulted in November 2011 and bullied for months after a digital photo of the alleged assault was passed around her school in Cole Harbour, N.S.

In his prepared statement, which appears on his website, Canning says he and the girl's mother have been advocating for victims of sexual assault and cybercrime, roles that have led to the realization that their daughter's case is far from unique.

The statement says that for many women and teenagers suffering from online abuse, reporting such incidents can be heartbreaking and the results are often futile.

As well, the statement suggests that governments have been slow to take action, and victims are being treated as if they are part of the crime.

"Giving in to predators, trolls and abusers is not how we will end online abuse," the statement says.

"We would never expect a family to keep their children at home if a predator was lurking in the park, or for bullied teenagers to quit school for their own good, or for women to remain indoors as a means to address sexual violence. Yet this is exactly what is expected of victims when it comes to online abuse."

Continued: http://bit.ly/1wozYd4

IN PARTING

"When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful."

- Malala Yousafzai

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Women's Equality Branch | 551 King Street, Suite A | Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1