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NEWSBYTES - AUG. 15, 2008
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The Advisory Council on the Status of Women is the provincial government agency that promotes equality, fairness and dignity for women, by bringing forward concerns and advising the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Act. Through research, policy, education, and partnerships, the council works to ensure women have an equal voice in society, fair pay and pensions, freedom from violence, and good health and well-being.
Newsbytes is a free bi-weekly e-mail newsletter with links to stories and contacts.
You can also read the newsletter and about coming events at the Advisory Council's website: <http://www.women.gov.ns.ca> .
CONTENTS AT A GLANCE
/1/ About the Council: National Aboriginal Women’s Summit II
/2/ UN Names New High Commissioner for Human Rights
/3/ Economic Security in Nova Scotia
/4/ What Women Want – in the West!
/5/ Report Card Measures Responses to Female HIV/AIDS Issues
/6/ Young Women! Gathering of Halifax Rebelles
/7/ Menopause and Cam Study: Deadline Aug.15
/8/ Did You Know?
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/1/ ABOUT THE COUNCIL: NATIONAL ABORIGINAL WOMEN’S SUMMIT II
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Nova Scotia women aboriginal leaders and government representatives attended the second National Aboriginal Women’s Summit in Yellowknife, from July 29 to 31. Carolyn Bolivar- Getson, Minister responsible for the Advisory Council on the Status of Women, attended on behalf of the Premier, with Brigitte Neumann, council’s executive director.
The Advisory Council and the Office of Aboriginal Affairs hosted a one-day provincial summit for aboriginal women at Millbrook Community Hall in June 2008 to prepare for the national summit.
“I’d like to give special recognition to the women who met at the second Nova Scotia Aboriginal Women’s Summit,” said Carolyn Bolivar-Getson in her closing remarks at the national summit. “With great thoroughness, they identified the issues and actions that could make a difference in the lives of Aboriginal women and their families. It’s inspiring to see united commitment from communities, organizations and all levels of government working with and for Aboriginal women.”
Nova Scotia will host the National Aboriginal Women’s Summit in 2010 or 2011, depending on the wishes of aboriginal leaders.
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/2/ UN NAMES NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
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The UN General Assembly confirmed South African judge Navanethem Pillay as its new High Commissioner for Human Rights. Pillay, a 57 year-old Harvard graduate, was nominated by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to replace Canadian judge Louise Arbour, who had served in the post four years. Arbour had been an outspoken critic of human rights abuses perpetrated in member states.
Daughter of a bus driver and a member of South Africa's Tamil ethnic minority, Pillay was the first woman to start a law practice in Natal province and the first non-white woman to become a South African High Court Judge in 1994, after the country's first democratic elections. In her
career as a lawyer, she was responsible for protecting the legal rights of many political opponents of the apartheid government, including Nelson Mandela. After the Rwanda genocide of the mid-1990s, she helped to set up and then served on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and since 2003 has been a judge on the International Criminal Court.
Pillay emphasizes the human rights of women and insists that "we need not only women judges, but also women investigators to ensure that gender crimes are pursued."
Source: United Nations, August 6.
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/3/ ECONOMIC SECURITY IN NOVA SCOTIA
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The report “Economic security in Nova Scotia,” published by the Centre for the Study of Living Standards, uses an aggregate index, based on security from economic risks from four key factors, to examine trends in economic security in Nova Scotia from 1981 to 2007. By studying unemployment, illness, old age, and single parenthood, the report concludes that economic security in Nova Scotia decreased during the 1981-2007 period.
Link to the report: http://www.csls.ca/reports/csls2008-05.pdf
Source: Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS), <http://www.csls.ca/> , July 16.
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/4/ WHAT WOMEN WANT – IN THE WEST!
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The Canada West Foundation announced the release of a new report based on the Looking West Survey. Written by Janine Marshall-Giles, “What Women Want: Gender Differences in Public Opinion and Political Engagement in Western Canada” examines several years of the Looking West Survey and offers a gender analysis of the opinions of western Canadians on key policy areas. The report discusses the differences in public opinion between men and women,
and how women have become less politically engaged.
Learn more from the report: <http://www.cwf.ca/V2/files/WhatWomenWant.pdf> .
Source: Canada West Foundation, August 7.
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/5/ REPORT CARD MEASURES RESPONSES TO FEMALE HIV/AIDS ISSUES
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The “Blueprint for Action on Women and HIV/AIDS” is a multi-sector coalition of HIV-positive women, Canadian and international HIV/AIDS organizations, and a variety of women's and reproductive rights groups advocating for better prevention, services and supports for women and
girls infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
For more information on “Blueprint for Action”, please go to http://womensblueprint.org/en/
Report Card: Canada, August 2008
Report Card Backgrounder: Canada, August 2008
Women in Canada are increasingly becoming infected with HIV. The proportion of females has risen steadily over time, from 11.3 per cent in the years between 1985 and 1996 to 27.8 per cent of adult positive HIV test reports in 2006
Learn more: http://womensblueprint.org/en/resources/
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/6/ YOUNG WOMEN! GATHERING OF HALIFAX REBELLES
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Everyone is invited to the first gathering of Halifax Rebelles, the local mobilizing body for the Pan-Canadian Young Feminist Gathering that will take place in Montreal on October 11 to 13.
The Halifax and Montreal gatherings are for women between the ages of 14 and 35 to network, learn new skills, engage in dialogues with feminists from across Canada, empower themselves and then bring all of this positive energy back to their home province.
The Halifax event will take place on Monday, August 18 at 6 p.m. at the YWCA. Discussion will focus on how to generate interest in the Gathering, fundraise for travel costs to and from Montreal (accommodation and meals are provided, the cost of the Gathering is $1 for every $1,000 made annually) and answer any questions.
If Halifax is not accessible to you or if you are unable to attend the meeting on Monday, please email <halifaxrebelles@gmail.com> to get involved in your community!
Visit our events calendar at: <http://women.gov.ns.ca/calendar.asp> to learn more about Halifax Rebelles or the Pan-Canadian Young Feminist Gathering.
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/7/ MENOPAUSE AND CAM STUDY: DEADLINE AUG.15 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a final notice to those interested (or those who know HIV-positive women 40 to 60 years old who may be interested) in participating in a survey concerning the "Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicines for Menopause Symptoms in Women With or Without HIV”.
1) The study consists of filling in an online survey of 12 questions that takes about 10 minutes.
2) See the survey at:
<http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=1LMRRo6siAL_2bWhvc108oAQ_3d_3d>
3) The study announcement and survey are in English only.
4) The deadline date for completing the survey is August 15, 2008.
5) The survey is anonymous - no personal information is collected.
6) If you start the survey and then decide you don't want to submit it, go back to the first page and click on "I do not agree" on the consent page, and the data will not be submitted.
Send questions or comments to Carole Lunny, the principal investigator, at <carolelunny@gmail.com> .
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/8/ DID YOU KNOW... ?
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In Canada, August 15 is "National Acadian Day."
This represents recognition for all Acadians who have played an important role
in the evolution of our country, particularly by laying the foundations of
dynamic communities, and by enriching our country's diversity with their
language and culture.
Learn more:
<http://www.pch.gc.ca/newsroom/index_e.cfm?fuseaction=displayDocument&DocIDCd=3N0229>
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NEXT ISSUE – AUG. 29, 2008
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