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NEWSBYTES - May 1, 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/ Latest News about the Flu
/2/ Jean d’Entremont: New Chair of NSACSW
/3/ Support the Shelter from the Storm Campaign
/4/ Women’s Paid and Unpaid Work
/5/ Hours and Earnings of Dual-Earner Couples
/6/ Canada’s Aging Population: Seizing the Opportunity
/7/ Rethink Breast Cancer on the Pink Carpet
/8/ Equal Voice Experiences Program
/9/ Ophelia’s Voice Legacy Book Project Extended
/10/ Government Is Us -- a "Do-it-Yourself" Civics-Education Workshop
/11/ Did You Know?
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/1/ LATEST NEWS ABOUT THE FLU
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Eight cases of H1N1 Flu (Human Swine Flu) have been confirmed in Windsor, Hants County. All are connected to the outbreak at King's-Edgehill School. Fortunately, these cases have been mild, with no need for hospitalization. As the virus spreads more severe cases could develop.
Dr. Robert Strang, chief public health officer for Nova Scotia, says it is important for people to take necessary precautions. That means washing your hands thoroughly and often, coughing or sneezing into your sleeves, and staying away from public areas. Those taking care of children, family or friends should take note of these precautions.
Daily activities should continue as normal. It is safe to go to school, work and socialize, as long as you do not have any symptoms. To learn more, go to www.gov.ns.ca/hpp . Under Updates, see "More Information on H1N1 Flu Virus" (http://gov.ns.ca/hpp/cdpc/swine-influenza-information.asp). If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please send an email to healthpromotion@gov.ns.ca .
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/2/ JEAN D’ENTREMONT: NEW CHAIR OF NSACSW
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Jean d’Entremont of West Pubnico has been elected chair of the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women. She was welcomed at a reception at Province House in Halifax, yesterday, April 30. Ms. d’Entremont has been a member of the Advisory Council for five years and is the first Acadian Chair. She is just completing her role as President of the Fédération des Femmes Acadiennes de la Nouvelle-Écosse and has extensive volunteer and caregiving experience.
More details about Jean appear on the Advisory council's website, at http://women.gov.ns.ca/councilmembership.asp .
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/3/ SUPPORT THE SHELTER FROM THE STORM CAMPAIGN
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“Shelter from the Storm” is Canada’s largest national campaign dedicated to ending violence against women. From April 13 to May 10 you can help the Canadian Women’s Foundation raise funds to support more than 450 shelters for abused women and their children, across Canada.
Some of the proceeds go directly to Bryony House, and the rest funds projects (i.e., Youth Outreach Project, Housing Support Worker) that help prevent violence against girls and women or help women rebuild their lives after abuse.
Learn more: http://www.shelterfromthestorm.ca/what_you_can_do.html .
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/4/ WOMEN’S PAID AND UNPAID WORK
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The Advisory Council recently released an updated publication called “Paid and Unpaid Work : Women in Nova Scotia – 2009 ed. (Statistical series, part. 5). The report includes the most up-to-date statistics to present occupational data on a wide diversity of women in Nova Scotia, including younger and older women, those of African descent and other racially-visible women, Aboriginal women, and women with disabilities. The array of topics covered has now expanded to include a section on women’s health, well-being and personal safety, sections on demography and family life, education, paid and unpaid work, and income and poverty.
Click this link to read the report: http://women.gov.ns.ca/pubs2008_09/PaidUnpaidWork2009.pdf .
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/5/ HOURS AND EARNINGS OF DUAL-EARNER COUPLES
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A new study argues that relative contributions of wives and husbands to paid work hours and earnings have become closer over the past 12 years. Wives now work longer hours at their paid jobs and they earn more than in the past.
But in 2008, most dual-earner wives still contributed less than 45 per cent of total family earnings, making the majority of them the secondary earner in couples with paid jobs.
Between 1997 and 2008, the proportion of wives earning at least 45 per cent of the family total increased from 37 to 42 per cent. Most of this change was driven by an increase in the proportion of women who were primary breadwinners.
The working hours of husbands and wives also became closer between 1997 and 2008. In 2008, 65 per cent of wives were considered equal workers in terms of weekly paid hours, up from 60 per cent in 1997
Learn more: The family work week (article):
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/2009104/article/10837-eng.htm .
Source: Stats Canada, April 24, 2009.
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/6/ CANADA’S AGING POPULATION: SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITY
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The Senate Special Committee on Aging has released its report, with wide-ranging recommendations, including support for caregivers. Access the report here:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/40/2/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/agei-e/rep-e/AgingFinalReport-e.pdf
(40th Parliament, 2nd Session: January 26, 2009 - ) of the Special Senate Committee on Aging, 237 pages, April 2009.
Recommendations:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/40/2/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/agei-e/subsite-e/recomm-e.htm
Source: Canadian Home Care Association & Canadian Social Research, April 25, 2009.
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/7/ RETHINK BREAST CANCER ON THE PINK CARPET
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Evocative, heartfelt stories will light up the pink screen again this fall, with Rethink Breast Cancer’s (Rethink) Breast Fest Film Festival. This world’s first film festival dedicated to breast cancer will showcase the many different aspects of breast cancer and breast health through short films, documentaries, animation and dramatic features. From documentaries to dramas to comedies, the festival will profile films spanning the emotional spectrum of the disease.
As part of the Breast Fest Film Festival, Rethink is seeking entries for a short film competition. Both filmmakers and those touched by breast cancer, directly or indirectly, are invited to produce a short video, film, animation, or PSA that sheds light on the issues surrounding breast cancer and breast health. All submissions will be reviewed by the Breast Fest 2009 Selection Committee, and selected shorts will go on the festival website, http://www.breastfestfilmfest.com in September. Then the public will be asked to vote on their favourite. The winning entrant will receive a $1,500 cash prize and fly to Toronto to present his/her film at the Festival.
Who: Entrants must be over the age of majority
Length: No longer than 10 minutesFormats: AVI, .MOV, .WMV, and .MPG
Deadline: Midnight on Friday, July 31, 2009
For more information visit http://ww.rethinkbreastcancer.com .
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/8/ EQUAL VOICE EXPERIENCES PROGRAM
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Join Equal Voice and Status of Women Canada on May 4 for the “Experiences” program at Dalhousie University! The program focuses on increasing the democratic participation of girls and young women across Canada by introducing them to role models and mentors, nurturing their political literacy and inspiring them to become political leaders of the future. For more information about the program see: http://www.equalvoice.ca/experiences .
For other details visit our site at: http://women.gov.ns.ca/calendar.asp .
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/9/ OPHELIA’S VOICE LEGACY BOOK PROJECT EXTENDED
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Girls, young women, and adult women are invited to share their stories about previous generations of women and hopes for future generations. The “Legacy Book Project” is an initiative of Opheliaʼs Voice. Requirements call for 250-word submissions from girls, adult women, mentors, moms, board members, and women in the community. The book project will be distributed in June 2009.
Instructions For Girls: “A Letter To Myself At Age 30”
• What are your hopes and dreams for your life as an adult woman?
• How do you hope youʼll continue changing the world and being an activist?
• By the time youʼre 30, what improvements do you want to see to gender equality?
• When youʼre 30, what do you want to remember about being a teenage girl? What do you want to remind yourself about being a teenage girl?
Instructions For Women: “A Letter To Myself At Age 13”
• What advice do you wish you had at age 13?
• At age 13, how did you see issues of gender equality and social justice?
• What changes in your life would you have made had you known this advice at age 13?
• What would you tell your 13-year-old self about your potential to change the world?
Deadline is May 11. For more information visit http://opheliasvoice.org/ophelia/ or contact joanne@opheliasvoice.org.
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/10/ GOVERNMENT IS US -- A "DO-IT-YOURSELF" CIVICS-EDUCATION WORKSHOP
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This workshop covers the basics of how parliamentary democracy works and shows women just how easy (and delightful) it is to become involved in the political process.
You can download all the pieces and host a workshop for your friends or organization.
Learn more at http://www.equalvoice.ca/idx.php?rl=13:&lid=1 .
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/11/ DID YOU KNOW?
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May is ...
Asian Heritage Month
Caregiving Month
Week 1- Mental Health Week, North American Occupational Safety and Health Week,
National Elizabeth Fry Week
May 3 - World Press Freedom Day
May 5 - International Midwives Day, International Day of Families
May 10 - Mother's Day
May 12 - International Nurses' Day, Canada Health Day
May 15 - Blue Nose International Marathon
Week 3 - Aboriginal Awareness Week
May 17 - National Day Against Homophobia
May 21 - World Day for Cultural Diversity and Development.
Week 4 - National Sun Awareness Week
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NEXT ISSUE – May 15
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