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NEWSBYTES - April 3, 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/ New Edition of “Making Changes”
/2/ Congratulations, Commander Josée Kurtz!
/3/ Poverty Reduction Strategy Released
/4/ New Homeless Report Card for Halifax
/5/ Free Respite Workshop in Sydney
/6/ Becoming a "Lone-Mother"
/7/ Mothers Earn less than Childless Women
/8/ CLC Statement to the Standing Committee on Employment Insurance
/9/ Human Resources and Skills Development Calls for Proposals
/10/ Mother Earth Water Walk
/11/ Campaign Petition: a UN That Works for All Women
/12/ Conference: Modern Challenges in Sexual Violence
/13/ Accessible Housing: Foundations for Inclusive Communities
/14/ Did You Know?
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/1/ NEW EDITION OF “MAKING CHANGES”
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If you are a woman experiencing abuse or if you have been abused, you may wish to check out the 6th edition of “Making Changes: a Book for Women in Abusive Relationships.” If you are a family member or a friend, or some one who works on behalf of women and their children who are being abused, this book will be helpful to you, too.
Order print copies by calling (902) 424-8662 or 1-800-565-8662 (toll-free within Nova Scotia) or access the publication online: http://women.gov.ns.ca/pubViolence.asp .
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/2/ CONGRATULATIONS, COMMANDER JOSÉE KURTZ!
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Commander Josée Kurtz takes charge of the warship HMCS Halifax on April 6,2009, the first time that a Canadian woman commands a major warship. We wish her many successful voyages!
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/3/ POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY RELEASED
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The Departments of Community Services and Labour and Workforce Development released Nova Scotia's Long-awaited Poverty Strategy today, April 3. Click the link for details: http://www.gov.ns.ca/coms/specials/poverty/documents/poverty_report_2009.pdf .
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/4/ NEW HOMELESS REPORT CARD FOR HALIFAX
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According to the first “Halifax Report Card on Homelessness 2009", 1,252 people stayed in homeless shelters in metro in 2008. The Community Action on Homelessness prepared the report, which provides a grim accounting of the poor health and terrible conditions facing people who are homeless in a community considered by many Canadians to be a picturesque port city. The report documents meagre investments in affordable homes by governments and lists actions to end homelessness in Halifax.
Related links:
Halifax Report Card on Homelessness 2009
http://www.cahhalifax.org/ReportCard/Halifax_Report_Card.pdf
Homeless in Halifax: New report card
http://wellesleyinstitute.com/homeless-halifax-new-report-card
Community Action on Homelessness (Halifax)
Source: Canadian Social Research, March 24, 2009
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/5/ FREE RESPITE WORKSHOP IN SYDNEY
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Families caring for children and adult children with disabilities or special needs are invited to attend a free workshop on April 18, called Creating Respite Solutions. The workshop takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Grand Lake Fire Hall, 850 Grand Lake Road in Sydney.
The Nova Scotia Partnership on Respite, Family Health and Well-Being is holding the session free of charge. Funding is available for respite care and transportation. To register, call the Advisory Council at 1-800-565-8662.
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/6/ BECOMING A "LONE-MOTHER"
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There were more than 1.1 million (1,132,290) female lone-parent families in Canada in 2006, representing 80 per cent of all lone-parent families, and 12.7 per cent of Canada's 8.9 million families, according to Statistics Canada.
Both the number and proportion of female lone parent families is much higher today compared to the count taken 25 years ago in the 1981 Census. In that year, lone mother families numbered 589,435 – 83 per cent of all such families and 9.3 per cent of all families.
Read more: http://www.vifamily.ca/families/ff16.pdf .
Source: The Vanier Institute, March 27, 2009.
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/7/ MOTHERS EARN LESS THAN CHILDLESS WOMEN
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Women with children earn significantly less than those without children, mostly due to career interruptions mothers experience, according to Statistics Canada’s research based on data from the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics.
At younger ages, the gap between women with and without children was small. At 20, earnings of women with and without children were $8.60 and $9.50, respectively (2004 dollars), a gap of 10 per cent. At 30, the gap widened to 19 per cent. Although it shrank slightly between the ages of 34 and 38, it widened after, and at age 40 the gap became 21 per cent.
Much of this widening gap can be attributed to career interruptions of mothers. Women with children had almost a six-year difference between their actual and potential work experience, while women without children had a disparity of just more than one year.
Well-educated (more than high school) mothers incurred greater earning losses than less educated mothers. This was still so even after controlling for other individual characteristics.
Read more: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/2009103/pdf/10823-eng.pdf .
Source: The Daily, March 24, 2009.
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/8/ CLC STATEMENT TO THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
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Employment insurance (EI) is a critically important program for Canadian workers, especially in tough times like we face today, wrote the Canadian Labour Congress to the House of Commons in March . The statement said that unemployment benefits are spent on necessities, not saved, or spent on imports. They are an effective form of economic stimulus and help maintain hard hit community economies.
Compared previous recessions, the EI program leaves far too many Canadians, especially women and lower wage, insecure workers, out in the cold. In November 2008, just four in 10 unemployed workers qualified for benefits. The maximum weekly benefit of $447 today is more than 25 per cent less than in 1996, and the average benefit now is just $335. And the program does even worse when we look at how it works for women workers.
Only about one-third of the total dollar amount of regular EI (unemployment) benefits is paid to women, even though women now participate in the paid workforce at almost the same rate as men.
Read more at: http://canadianlabour.ca/en/statement-house-commons-standing-committee-re-status-women-study-current-employment-insurance-ei-pro .
Source: Canadian Labour Congress, March 5, 2009.
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/9/ HUMAN RESOURCES AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT CALLS FOR PROPOSALS
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The Social Development Partnerships Program – Children and Families call for proposals is now open and accepting applications until May 8, 2009.
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/community_partnerships/sdpp/call/social_wellbeing/2009/child_Family.shtml
The Enabling Accessibility Fund call for proposals (small projects) is now open and accepting applications until May 4, 2009.
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/disability_issues/eaf/call2009/index.shtml
Go to the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada Links page for more information:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/hrsdc.htm .
Source: Canadian Social Research, March 29, 2009.
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/10/ MOTHER EARTH WATER WALK
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A Group of First Nation women and their supporters will raise awareness regarding water issues on more than 100 First Nation communities that have been under boil water advisories for as long as 10 and 15 Years. The walk will take place on April 13 and will circle Lake Banook.
Eagle staff carriers from Atlantic Defence Aboriginal Advisory group will carry a symbolic eagle staff to give the women strength. Water walkers are invited to a feast of soup and luskinigan at the Micmac Friendship Centre following the walk.
For more details go to our website at: http://women.gov.ns.ca/calendar.asp .
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/11/ CAMPAIGN PETITION: A UN THAT WORKS FOR ALL WOMEN
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The United Nations 53rd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the GEAR Campaign, launched a global petition (for individuals) that calls for the creation of a new, stronger women's entity at the UN. See the petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/GEAR .
Here are some other ways to help promote the GEAR petition:
- forward it to friends and colleagues
- post it on listservs
- add a link to it in your email signature
- add a link to it on your professional or personal website
- promote it in various news groups, online forums and discussion groups
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/12/ CONFERENCE: MODERN CHALLENGES IN SEXUAL VIOLENCE
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The Atlantic Partners in Sexual Assault Response invite everyone to the 3rd Annual Conference on Modern Challenges in Sexual Violence, May 5 to 6. The keynote speaker is Ingrid Bakke, Esq., Boulder, Colorado, lead attorney in the People v. Kobe Bryant, “Lessons learned from sexual assault prosecutions”.
Additional conference presentations include Debra Jellicoe on Youth Sexual Violence, Det. Cst. Chris Gorman on Internet Luring, and Cst. Kristine Arnold on Human Trafficking. Through lectures and discussions, this conference will address the concerns and limitations regarding challenging sexual violence cases.
For more information visit our Event Calendar at: http://women.gov.ns.ca/calendar.asp .
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/13/ ACCESSIBLE HOUSING: FOUNDATIONS FOR INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES
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Partnership for Access Awareness Nova Scotia (PAANS) celebrates the diversity and abilities of people with disabilities. Through public awareness, community partnerships and education, the group fosters an environment of equal participation for persons with disabilities within Nova Scotia.
During May 31 to June 6, Access Awareness Week, PAANS will celebrate achievements made by and for people with disabilities. PAANS invites you to recognize the commitment made to accessibility by nominating individuals, communities, businesses and organizations for the Mel Hebb Awards. Presented this year at the Marriott, Harbourfront Hotel in Halifax, June 1. If you need funding for an event during Access Awareness Week, contact PAANS.
For more information or to access application forms visit our website at: http://women.gov.ns.ca/calendar.asp or contact the PAANS Coordinator at 902-455-6942, paans@eastlink.ca .
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/14/ DID YOU KNOW ...?
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1. April is Volunteer Recognition Month (12 to 19 is National Volunteer Week).
2. April 4 - Refugee Rights Day in Canada http://www.ccrweb.ca/RRDay.htm
3. April 6 - Unpaid Work Day http://www.afeas.qc.ca
4. April 7 - World Health Day
5. April 15 - World Social Work Day, International Federation of Social Workers.
6. April 17 - Anniversary of New Brunswick women's right to vote (1919)
7. April 17 - Equality Day (1985 - Article 15 of Charter of Rights and Freedoms)
8. April 19 to 25 - Administrative Professionals Week: http://www.iaap-hq.org/APW/apwindex.htm
9. April 26 to May 2 - National Victims of Crime Awareness Week
10. April 28 - National Day of Mourning for Workers Who Died on Job
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NEXT ISSUE – April 17, 2009
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