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NEWSBYTES - February 6th, 2009
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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>.
Also, visit our online catalogue at http://women.gov.ns.ca/library.asp or come visit our library!
CONTENTS AT A GLANCE
/1/ African Heritage Month 2009
/2/ National Day of Action Against Sexism and Sexualization
/3/ Equal Voice Announces National Mentor Program
/4/ Girl Guides of Canada to Receive Federal Funding for Girls for Safer Communities
/5/ The Current State of Canadian Family Finances
/6/ Income and Psychological Distress
/7/ Work-life Conflict in Canada in the New Millennium -- Sixth Report
/8/ Consultations on Catastrophic Drug Coverage
/9/ 2009 Institute of Gender and Health Summer Institute
/10/ Survey of Rural Development Services : Have Your Say
/11/ Input on Strategy for Early Literacy
/12/ Did You Know?
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/1/ AFRICAN HERITAGE MONTH 2009
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February 2009 is the 25th year Nova Scotians have celebrated African Heritage Month. The celebration of Black History Month was initiated in the early 1980s through the efforts of the Black History Month Association.
In the United States, Black History Month was
founded in 1926 by Harvard educated Black historian Carter G. Woodson. It
started as a “week in February to celebrate the history, contributions and
culture of African-Americans. Woodson chose the second week in February for the
newly formed Negro History Week to coincide with the birth dates of Black
activist Frederick Douglas (Feb. 14, 1817) and President Abraham Lincoln (Feb.
12, 1809).
In the 1970s, several Black organizations and community
leaders banded together to promote the concept of Black History Month. In 1976,
as part of the American bi-centennial celebration in 1976, the week was expanded
to a month, becoming National Black History Month.
More information:
http://gov.ns.ca/ansa/specialevents.asp .
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/2/ NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST SEXISM AND SEXUALIZATION
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For the last five years, Girls Action Foundation has transformed Feb. 14 into the National Day of Action Against Sexism and Sexualization – and into a celebration of incredible girls and young women across the country who are working for a better world.
This year, the LEA Place Women's Resource Centre is gathering young women to view the National Film Board’s “Sexy Inc.” The session will critique media regarding the hypersexualization of young girls and women. Participants will design stickers with a logo promoting “No Sexism” and will also design t-shirts to wear on the Day of Action.
The aim is to bring attention to the importance of taking action against children being prematurely pressured into adulthood. LEA Place is focusing on the hypersexualization of young women. Contact Shirley Spears, Sheet Harbour, LEA Place Women's Resource Centre at 902-885-2668.
Note: everyone can borrow this and other films from the NSACSW library. Check our Special Project site at: http://women.gov.ns.ca/projects.asp .
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/3/ EQUAL VOICE ANNOUNCES NATIONAL MENTOR PROGRAM
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Equal Voice/Á voix égales is launching a national mentorship program aimed at advancing the participation of young girls and women in political life, thanks to more than $1. 2 million in funding from Status of Women Canada’s Women’s Partnership Fund, and help from many other partners.
The “Experiences” project will work with organizations across Canada from now until 2011 to increase democratic participation among girls and young women through contact with positive role models and mentors – nurturing their political literacy and inspiring them to become future leaders. Equal Voice is a group of women and men who have formed a multi-partisan, non-profit organization with a mission to promote the election of more women to all levels of political office. To learn more about the Equal Voice and the “Experiences” project go to www.equalvoice.ca .
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/4/ GIRL GUIDES OF CANADA TO RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR GIRLS FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES
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The Honourable Helena Guergis, Minister of State (Status of Women), announced on Jan. 22 that Girl Guides of Canada/Guides du Canada will receive $481,300 for a three-year project. Girls for Safer Communities will increase awareness about the safety concerns of girls and women, and develop leadership skills by providing training on community safety audits and their planning, implementation and evaluation.
"Girl Guides of Canada strives to make a difference for girls and women who experience guiding," said Ms. Myrtle Corkum, Chief Commissioner, Girl Guides of Canada/Guides du Canada. "Thanks to the help of the Government of Canada, we can build the conditions for their success, developing their leadership skills and teaching them how to work for lasting social change." Funding for Girls for Safer Communities comes from the Women’s Community Fund of the Women’s Program of Status of Women Canada.
Congratulations to Nova Scotia's own top guide - the Chief Commissioner - and her colleagues.
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/5/ THE CURRENT STATE OF CANADIAN FAMILY FINANCES
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A new report from the Vanier Institute of the Family shows that tracked key indicators such as household income and employment levels can take years of lag time to get back to where they were when the recession began. The report “Already-Stressed Family Budgets To Take The Brunt Of Recession” says Canadian household debt and savings ratios are more similar to US households than is widely believed.
During the recession in the 1990s, it took five years for the economy to recover the 350,000 jobs lost, nine years for the unemployment rate to recover, and ten years for family household incomes to get back to the levels they were when the economy was healthy.
View Highlights: http://www.vifamily.ca/library/wealth/highlights08.pdf
Download Report: http://www.vifamily.ca/library/cft/famfin08.pdf
Source: Vanier Institute of the Family, January 22,2009.
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/6/ INCOME AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
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This new study shows that lower income is significantly related to future episodes of high psychological distress. The everyday social environments of low-income Canadians are implicated in health disparities.
Previous studies have shown that lower income is strongly related to mental health, including feelings of psychological distress. Stressors are more prevalent among lower income groups and may explain part of this relationship.
This new research reveals that 11 per cent of the initial sample experienced at least one episode of high distress during the 12 years of study. Low-income respondents were at a significantly higher risk of becoming psychologically distressed, and many of the stressors were associated with a significantly higher risk of becoming distressed. Stressors accounted for 22 per cent of the relationship between low income and distress for men and more than a third for women.
Learn more: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2009001/article/10772/findings-resultats-eng.htm
Source: Statistics Canada, January 21, 2009.
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/7/ WORK-LIFE CONFLICT IN CANADA IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM -- SIXTH REPORT
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Key Findings and Recommendations from “Report Six: Work-Life Conflict in Canada in the New Millennium” was released in Jan. 21 from Health Canada. The 2001 National Work-Life Conflict Study and the ensuing reports have given business and labour leaders, policy-makers and academics an objective “big picture.”
Learn more: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/alt_formats/hecs-sesc/pdf/pubs/occup-travail/balancing_six-equilibre_six/balancing_six-equilibre_six-eng.pdf
Source: Health Canada, http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.php . (The survey was commissioned by Health Canada to examine how Canadians are coping with the demands of their work and family lives), January 2009.
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/8/ CONSULTATIONS ON CATASTROPHIC DRUG COVERAGE
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You are invited to an interactive consultation on a White Paper by the Canadian Treatment Action Council – to help prepare recommendations for a catastrophic drug plan for all Canadians. This is an opportunity to ask questions, give input and participate in a discussion on what is required to create an equitable national drug program. Input from AIDS communities and the broader disease/disabilities communities is being sought.
The session takes place on Feb. 18 in the Dalhousie Student Union Building, Room 302, 3rd Floor, 6136 University Avenue. Morning Session (AIDS Community): Registration 8:30 to 9 a.m.; Consultation 9 to noon. Afternoon Session (broader patient and consumer groups): Registration 1 to 1:30 p.m.; Consultation 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
For more information or to register, please contact Sarah at sarah@ctac.ca .
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/9/ 2009 INSTITUTE OF GENDER AND HEALTH SUMMER INSTITUTE
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The Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Gender and Health will host its inaugural summer institute for trainees for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver from June 23 to 26, 2009.
This residential workshop will offer participants an opportunity to increase their understanding of methods and challenges for gender, sex and health research, and to network with colleagues and mentors working in this field.
Applications will be accepted until Mar. 1, 2009. See this website for forms and information in both official languages: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/38612.html .
Source: CIHR Institute of Gender and Health 2009 Summer Institute.
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/10/ SURVEY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES : HAVE YOUR SAY
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Coastal Communities Network (CCN) with support from the Rural Secretariat is conducting a survey of rural development services in Nova Scotia. It is one component of a wider study to identify the services and resources needed to assist with strengthening the economic, cultural, environmental and social sustainability of rural communities in Nova Scotia. The survey should take about 10 to 15 minutes. At the end, you can enter a draw for a $100-gift certificate.
The survey is being conducted with enhanced security. Individual responses will remain confidential, with results going only to CCN and the Rural Secretariat. Access the survey until Feb. 16 at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=rLbLewPosCwObXZDfs9SAw_3d_3d .
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/11/ INPUT ON STRATEGY FOR EARLY LITERACY
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The National Strategy for Early Literacy (NSEL) is a Canada-wide initiative to improve the literacy skills of children and youth. NSEL is engaging a coalition of organizations and individuals to understand and describe what can be done to improve literacy in young Canadians.
Public consultations on the strategy will be held across Canada in March 2009. Parties interested in presenting or in providing written input, please submit an information brief by Feb. 15 to nselsubmission@cllrnet.ca .
For more information and suggested guidelines for briefs, visit http://nsel.cllrnet.ca/submissions . Individuals or organizations with personal literacy stories to share are welcome to apply (no later than Feb. 15). via nselsubmission@cllrnet.ca .
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/12/ DID YOU KNOW...
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That Family Violence Prevention Week is from Feb. 8 to 15?
Family violence includes but is not limited to violence by one partner against another partner, by a parent against a child, by a child against a parent, between brothers and sisters, and may involve senior family members and grandparents. Family violence may include:
• physical assault
• emotional or psychological abuse
• sexual assault
• threats
• financial abuse
• neglect or abandonment
• shaking a baby
• murder
• destruction of property or pets.
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NEXT ISSUE – Feb. 20, 2009
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