Opinion on International Women's Day​, by Alison Brown, IAW member since 1992

Back when Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland were celebrating the first International Women’s Day, demanding better working hours, pay and the right to vote, IAW had already been founded as the IWSA to deal especially with the last of those things under the assumption that once women could vote, they themselves would be able to take care of the others.

Unfortunately the patriarchy has proved more resistant to changes in work/life balance and equal pay for work of equal value, not to mention a full representation of women in all decision making positions. The women’s movement has slowly inched along, achieving certain atmospheric changes in that a woman in a decision-making position is not such an anomaly.  Women’s buried history has been painstakingly uncovered, demonstrating that in every era women had shown their mettle if given the chance, even in the face of “scientific” claims of female weakness and incompetence.

On paper many goals the activists demonstrated for, one March 8^th after another, have been achieved in various countries around the world. In practice we still have a great deal to march for. Especially as some standards, like women’s control over their own reproductive health, are being reduced or even negated.

In the past two years, under the ban of the SARS-CoV-2, ground has, in fact, been lost. More women have left the workforce and social norms that assign to them the well-being of children and the entire family are keeping them out of gainful employment, even as they work as hard as ever. One remedy would be adequate, well-paid child care services which seem necessary to release the strength of woman-power on the lagging economies around the globe. It would be a win-win situation, but the powers-that-be hang back, whining about the cost, while ignoring the cost of doing nothing.

The “equal value” component of the old equal pay demand needs more attention as “caring” work is consistently undervalued in every society that depends upon it, which is every society in the world, in both hemispheres and under all economic forms, “capitalist” or “communist”.

IAW representatives will be demonstrating at the Commission on the Status of Women on March 8, 2022.
Wherever you are, I urge you join an International Women’s Day demonstration, too.

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International Alliance of Women

Associated Country Women of the World

1. On International Women’s Day, 8^th March 2021, Sharon Fisher, President of Soroptimist International; Cheryl Hayles, President of International Alliance of Women; and Magdie de Kock, World President of Associated Country Women of the World, ask, “Are women making any progress in participation in leadership and decision-making?”

2. Twenty five years on from the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action which identified the need for more women at the top, it is time to #ChoosetoChallenge what has been achieved, or rather, what has not been achieved. It is time to heed the platform’s overdue call to increase women’s “capacity to participate in decision-making and leadership with measures being taken to ensure women’s access to and full participation in power structures and decision-making”.

3. After Beijing, the heightened expectation is that more women would be elected as parliamentarians and legislators; more women would take their place as senior managers and board directors in private and public companies; more women would be recognized as community leaders and contributing to the development of their local economies; more women would be found at negotiating tables following conflicts. In addition, it was hoped that the contribution of women’s organisations and participation through civil society, generally, would be acknowledged and accepted.

4. Where are we now, 25 years later? Research shows that in all these sectors women are still not equally represented; that men still hold the majority of leadership roles.

5. Although women make up approximately 50 per cent of the global population they do not share power or leadership equally with men anywhere in the world. There are currently 10 women serving as Heads of State with small numbers of women filling Government Ministerial posts or serving in Cabinets. The proportions of female representatives in national Parliaments are similarly low. Yet the media is reporting that women leaders can be very effective, showing that during the COVID–19 pandemic, they have protected their countries significantly, often better than many counterpart male leaders.

6. The United Nations Human Rights Council has pointed out that women and girls, as well as women’s organisations and networks, are not equally represented in local, national, and global COVID-19 policy spaces and decision-making. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the value of women’s roles in society to the forefront, especially in the positive impact they have made throughout the health and care sectors. We believe efforts should be made to ensure women’s full and meaningful participation, representation and leadership in all aspects of dealing with the virus, including plans for recovery. A diversity of women’s voices should be heard and represented in public discussions and media broadcasts.

7. Women and girls of all ages deserve a seat at the table in public life, leadership and decision-making. Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. To make that a reality, all states, the private sector, civil society, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders must work in collaboration. Men must also be included in these discussions.

8. Only when women and girls of all ages are able to fully and equally participate in public life, hold positions of leadership, and be recognised key players at all levels of decision-making, will the world we live in be one where everyone has equal opportunities, economies are more sustainable, and societies more inclusive and prosperous. Women enable a just, equitable and peaceful world.

9. Girls and young women like Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg have proven that they are capable and want to be seen, heard and transform the world they have inherited from the previous generations. There is no need to wait for girls and young women to become adults before more women become visible.

10. Sharon, Cheryl and Magdie say, “These young women demonstrate clearly that they can lead campaigns, like Greta against climate change, and Malala for girl’s education,  and create change enabling a better and healthier future for other young women.”

11. Young leaders such as these work directly with communities, influencing older leaders who are frequently male, and encouraging young women to take hold of their own lives. They are persuading governments around the world to change legislation so that discrimination against women and girls is ‘put to flight’ and gender equality becomes a reality. They provide excellent role models for younger women and girls alongside the women who lead their countries.

12. Young women looking to the future can take encouragement from the fact that their skills and qualities as leaders are being recognised and will provide the foundation for them to take their place as leaders now and in the future.

13. Rural women face the same challenges as their urban counterparts, but these challenges are compounded by diluted access to social resources. When looking at parliamentary representation, women from rural areas and communities are less likely to be involved; and when they are involved, they face often hazardous, long, and arduous journeys to central points of government.

14. It is imperative that we enable and empower today our future women leaders. We are recommending to the sixty-fifth session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women that “New laws, regulations and social justice programmes should be developed and implemented to respond to women’s and girls’ under-participation and under-representation in leadership. Such laws, regulations and social justice programmes should include: guaranteeing equal pay; addressing harassment, violence and abuse of women faced online and offline; examining legal ideas of what constitutes a threat or threatening behaviour; and requiring additional protection measures to be developed, recognising that online presence is now part of participation in public life and discourse, and therefore online space should be protected and safe from abuse and harmful, sexist and discriminatory language.”

For information on this statement, contact:

Soroptimist International: Beverly Bucur, ida@soroptimistinternational.org

International Alliance of Women: Cheryl Hayles, cherylhayles@sympatico.ca

Associated Country Women of the World: Nick Newland, nick@acww.org.uk

Read more

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Annually CFUW participates in an International Women’s Day Project to highlight progress towards women’s equality in Canada and world-wide. It raises awareness about SDG #5 and the ongoing challenges and opportunity to celebrate women’s achievements.  We believe by celebrating International Women’s Day with gusto we send a strong message that women will not be silenced, ignored or dismissed.

This is the seventh feature in the series of nine Theme Days (Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, World Day to end Human Trafficking, International Literacy Day, International Day of the Girl Child, National Day of Remembrance of Violence Against Women – Canada, International Women’s Day, Earth Day, and 50/50 Day).  This initiative provides a critical opportunity to discuss the interconnectedness of the SDGs to achieve gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls. As well, we aspire to highlight the intersectionality of women’s issues and the need to engage all stakeholders in the conversation.

Achieving the 2030 Agenda is a challenge to all, and requires action at all levels. Recognizing that the priority theme of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women this year is “Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls”, our contributors have focussed on experiences of rural women.  We hope you can connect to and extend the conversation beyond your circle.

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Her Story is Important

I met her when she came in to register her daughter for kindergarten in public school.  She made an impression as a woman of spunk because her ball cap had a marijauna leaf embroidered on it.  This is not something you see in this setting everyday.

Her child started senior kindergarten. The only formal social situation she has been engaged in since she arrived in Canada.  Twenty new classmates and two unfamiliar teachers to get acquainted with.  Being a bright and curious child she picked up things easily.

Back to her black skinned mother, who was working the night shift at a factory and felt herself lucky because she had found a man to take her in and pledge to help her and her daughter get oriented in Canada.  This twenty three year old mother had recently immigrated from a small island in the Caribbean to live with her sister, go to nursing school and raise her daughter in the snowy land of hope.  The relationship with her sibling collapsed shortly after her arrival.

Into the school term I received a call on Thursday from her saying she was in a hotel because she had been removed from where she was living due to domestic violence.  There were no beds available in the women’s shelter in town so the police put her up in the local motel.  This single mother, with no support over the week end was moved to a shelter 175 km north of the urban area where she had settled.  A rural area unfamiliar to her.  She had no family connection there, no advocate and no input into the decision to transfer her and her daughter to a rural shelter.

The chances of securing an affordable apartment in town were slim but with her permission, I applied for subsidized housing for her and her daughter.  Somehow she made it back to town to live with another single mother who also has a child.  She pays $660 a month for one room.  One has to keep in mind that her daughter did not attend school for 3 weeks while she was being bounced from motel to shelter to a one bedroom accommodation.

When they finally settled back in town she was outside the boundary of the school her daughter attended.   To get to “her” school she would have to take two town buses and spend an hour, return trip, each day on the town bus.  That would cost her $81 a month.  $81 more than any other student in our school had to pay to get to school.   Bussing is free to get to school if a family lives more than 1.3 km away from school.  This was too much for a twenty three year old mother who works the night shift to get her five year old child to school every day!  Understandably she decides to register her daughter at the neighbourhood school.

The registration secretary told her she had to have proof of address to register her child.  She had just moved into the one room arrangement and had no lease agreement or other documentation that she lived in that area.  Despondent and beaten, because she did not know her human rights, she decided to send her daughter back to the island of her birth to live with her father.

Four weeks after the report to the police of the physical and emotional abuse from her intimate partner, three moves and loss of time at work, her daughter was on a flight back to the Caribbean.  Loss of dignity, loss of her child, and loss of her savings to pay for the plane fare, all in less than one month.

This got me to thinking that this story could have had a different outcome.  A young woman who has no clue what her rights are is vulnerable to injustices that will change the course of her life.  1) She should have never been sent to a shelter in a remote area because she does not drive and had no advocate or services appropriate for her case.  2) Schools need to have provisions for registering families that are coming out of a shelter and do not have documents to show proof of address.

I can only image that the day she put her child on the plane was the lowest day of her life.  It certainly was a low day for the small group who knew her story!

She has since returned to work. Her supervisor kept the job open for her while she was away.  Two thumbs up for the supervisor! She says she feels like there is community there and is happy working there.

Why is her story important to tell?  Her story is important because women without support from family or friends sink into a cycle of dysfunction.  The biggest concern is will she ever be able to overcome and realize her dream of becoming a nurse. If she were rich, financially independent, educated and had community she would have been able to establish herself in a home, start her studies in nursing and support her child.  Instead she has to depend on a system that did not have her in mind.  Her dream remains in embryo.

She reminds me of Maya Angelou who told the following story to an audience at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, “In 1945 the United Nations was advertising for simultaneous translators.  I wanted so badly to be a simultaneous translator, the only trouble was, I was poor, black, pregnant, seventeen and uneducated”.  Maya Angelou went on in June 1995, to deliver her poem, “A Brave and Startling Truth”, which commemorated the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. I hope this young woman’s story in the end will be as inspiring.  The same way my cousin and I were excited to go hear Dr. Maya Angelou speak I wish that she will have an audience hanging on her every word and that her daughter will grow up to be phenomenal as well!

Cheryl Hayles

VP International Relations, Canadian Federation of University Women,

Vice President North America, International Alliance of Women

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 The Challenge of being a Rural Woman in Canada

The plight of rural women and their struggles are not well understood by those who live in larger urban areas around the world. This is perfectly evident to those  who have experienced both rural and urban life in Canada and abroad. Certainly there are wonderful advantages in Canada for lovers of animals and nature, an unpolluted and healthy environment, a slower, relaxed and quiet life style, the satisfactions of  a close-knit, friendly and caring community, and of producing one’s own safe food, all mentioned in a survey.

CFUW sent this survey to all clubs in Canada designing it to collect data on members’ perceptions and experiences in preparation for the Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW62) and its theme of challenges for rural women. The answers were illuminating.

In response to the question “What are the two greatest challenges to life in rural communities?” the majority listed transportation as their number one problem. Almost all the other answers were variations on this. Many pointed out that long distances cause a lack of access to services, health services being number one. (This has been exacerbated by the closing of hospitals in smaller towns and specialists become increasingly limited to urban “hubs”). Others listed in order of frequency were: lack of access to employment, education opportunities, social, recreational and cultural opportunities as well as child care.

The second highest category was also linked to the distance involved in keeping in touch with others, the physical isolation and loneliness being mentioned by a majority of the respondents to this question. This included the lack of access to mental health services, affordable access to hi-speed internet and Wi-Fi as well as the insecurity involved in the time required to get emergency help in the case of fire, sickness or injury, and especially for women, crime and violence against women.

Economics was the next highest challenge. Limited choice in shopping for essentials such as groceries, the high cost of car maintenance necessary to access essential services, the higher costs of hydro, garbage disposal, septic systems and snow removal were included. Longer work hours with less return, and the lack of vacations or holidays were challenges as well as affordable housing.  (Access to affordable housing or land purchase is decreasing with urban sprawl taking over former farm land. This has led not only to lack of housing but to increasing property taxes in rural areas as they become annexed to large municipalities.)

The last category with fewer comments was more nebulous but certainly important. This was a general feeling that the work and life of rural women were neither understood nor appreciated by the general public and even the government.  There is a prevailing feeling of discrimination, stereotyping, sexism or patriarchy, and lack of appreciation or support for the rural population.

This is especially true in regards to public transportation for rural areas where trains and buses were rated “accessible with challenges” or “inaccessible” by the majority. In my own area there is the feeling that rural areas are neglected while large cities and urban metropoles receive a disproportionate amount of transportation funding.

Another problem in my own rural area, but not included in the survey, is the anguish of many local families whose elementary and high schools are also being centralized in large urban areas. This marginalizes the rural families. Their very vocal protests decry the long school bus ride, the distance involved making it difficult for rural families to attend school events. The necessity of catching the school bus home makes it impossible for rural students to attend after-school sports or events, or to join clubs including drama, and music. This further marginalizes rural families. Their argument that their local rural schools provide a sense of community and serve as community centres for both recreation and meetings, consistently falls on deaf ears and their schools are closed. A similar situation exists when small hospitals in rural areas are closed, leading to a loss of security for those with transportation issues, especially in winter when rural roads may be closed.

In order to foster and encourage the rural woman, we need solutions, especially to the problem of transportation for the young, the elderly, those with disabilities and those who cannot afford cars. Our clubs can make a difference. For example, CFUW Stratford in Ontario won a CFUW award for advocacy for its work on re-establishing train service for their rural area.

The St. Thomas CFUW club also supported a public meeting on transportation. From that has grown a large transportation committee headed by the Health Care Centre.  Along with the VON, the Health Care Centre provides volunteer drivers for health appointments, but, being widely unknown, the service is under-utilized. This is a problem all across Canada borne out by the results of the survey. The overwhelming majority of the answers to the question on accessibility of volunteer drivers was “Don’t know” or “No information on this.” The local committee is working on acquiring a computer program for shared rides by commuters from rural areas to the city, as well as a centralized telephone number (perhaps a reference librarian) with an explanation of service organizations’ programs for affordable rides from volunteer drivers. Uber is not generally accessible in rural areas.

The transportation issue also presents a problem for rural members in CFUW. Not only does travel to meetings become challenging, travel to provincial, national and international meetings is difficult and expensive. This results in less voice and fewer votes than the larger clubs in urban areas. Their district representatives have longer distances to travel between clubs making personal visits and communication more difficult, especially in areas where computer access is limited.

Hopefully, the data from this survey, shared with an executive summary, will inspire CFUW clubs everywhere to share the information, to become more aware of rural issues, and to participate in advocacy and programs to further empower rural women and girls throughout Canada.

Nancy Mayberry, Ph.D., Member of the International Relations Committee, Canadian Federation of University Women 

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Rural Women Survey for Organizations, sister survey to the Rural Women Survey 

This survey was conducted by CFUW January 15 – February 15, 2018.  Community organizations in Africa, India, United States of America and Canada responded to the questions.   Of the 85 responses, the majority are from the provinces of British Columbia – representing multiple communities, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick.  The 3 international responses came from Rwanda, USA – a Native American Band and India.

The survey had 24 questions.  However, only two will be high lighted at this time.

Question:
How you define a rural woman?

“In our context, a rural area is a place or area with no modern or better infrastructure for example; no access to modern roads, running/piped water, no modern markets or shopping malls, schools, hospitals. A rural woman in this case is one who hails or lives in the kind of place explained above. A rural woman in our context depends on agriculture for food in her household and is limited to access to modern development processes”.   Rwanda

“Women who live a place that is defined by its geography and its challenges. Having to travel (long distances) to access services therefore, where the risk of isolation is high because of roads, weather, natural disasters, etc.”.  Canada

“As varied as a city woman”.  Canada

“A woman living in a both peaceful (and risky) environment –is quite isolated with limited access to convenience, safety and support”. Canada

Question:
What are the opportunities in living in a rural community?

“More laid back, not the same hustle and bustle of city life, cheaper accommodations. People know each other or at least know off others”.  Canada

“There can be a tremendous amount of community support for anyone experiencing a crisis. It can create a strong sense of ‘belonging’ which is important for health”.  Canada

“Women can feel more supported by organizations that work together to provide wrap around services. Oftentimes, they will be remembered by service providers and addressed by name (rather than number or can’t recall them because the organization is too big)”. Canada

“Rural areas may be good if girls, women, boys and men had access to all services. In the absence of those services as it is today, I don’t see any opportunity of living in our rural areas”. India

“Inherently rural women are having basic specialized traditional skill with family background. Physically they are fit and fine who can work very hard”.  Rwanda

In summary, it is clear that a rural community provides both opportunities and challenges for women and girls.  In attempting to isolate the markers of each we found that the opportunities are related to a well developed sense of community created through interaction with others, culture and nature.  Unfortunately, the challenges are all related to isolation and lack of gender based services which if they were community based would increase empowerment and promote a heightened state of emotional, physical and mental well-being.

Cheryl Hayles

VP International Relations, Canadian Federation of University Women

Vice President North America, International Alliance of Women

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 Women Empowerment and Human Resource Development Centre of India (WHI)

The celebration included a peace rally where women were carrying carrying placards with captions such as ‘stop violence against women’,’ stop female foeticide’,’ treat children well’, ‘be a man not a beggar to ask dowry’,   ‘bruises fade, but the pain lasts forever’, ‘not all wounds are visible’ , ‘be bold’ etc.

Report sent by Dr. Vijaya Lakshmi, chair of WHI.

Read the whole report: March 8 WHI

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The 2017 theme for the International Women’s Day focuses on women in the changing world of work, Planet 50-50 by 2030.

The world of work is changing with significant implications for women. On the one hand, technological advances and globalization bring unprecedented opportunities for those who can access them. On the other, there is a growing informality of labour, income inequality, and humanitarian crises.

Women continue to work in the most vulnerable segments in the informal economy with little or no access to decent work, adequate remuneration, pensions, social protection and healthcare, leaving women at great risk of falling into or remaining in poverty, experiencing workplace violence and unable to fulfill their economic rights.

The question to be asked is: what can be done? A lot of measures can be taken in a lot of fields, like measures to eliminate gender gaps in work and employment measures to redistribute paid and unpaid care and domestic work, to eliminate violence at work, etc. The second question to be asked is the following: Will these measures have any effects? In my view, the answer is negative. Why is it so?

In the view of IAW the answer lies on the lack of an enabling environment at all levels for the empowerment of women and the realization of their human rights. This lack of an enabling environment is produced by development models that support market-led growth only. These models contribute to the persistence of unequal power relations between women and men and reproduce gender inequalities, exploiting women’s labour and unpaid care work.

These patterns are based on a new form of capitalism disorganized, globalized, neoliberal. This form of capitalism has replaced the State-managed capitalism of the post-war era. It relies heavily on women’s wage labour, especially low wage work in service and manufacturing.

Neoliberalism is driving poor people, in particular women, poor classes, poor countries deeper into poverty. Feminist organizations should work to ensure that human rights are the ethical framework for macroeconomic policies. They should participate in reforming dominant economical policies that is neoliberal policies including the development, implementation and evaluation of these policies.

We all know that the women’s movement is the most critical factor in the implementation of gender equality policies. The women’s movement should strive for the full promotion of the human rights of women through the full implementation of all human rights instruments, especially CEDAW.

We should demand a new development model that is not based solely on economic growth but prioritizes people over profits as well as social solidarity. A new development model that regulates as well the role of the private sector through binding frameworks that align their actions with human rights and sustainable development objectives.

We should also work for human rights accountability for all actors, international financial institutions, multinational corporations, national governments. This is a new field of activism that the women’s movement should follow in order to see progress in its struggle for gender equality and the realization of women’s human rights.

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Around noon more and more people in colourful outfits were gathering in the small park near the railway-station. The predominant colour was red as a sign of anger, but also some bright pink as a symbol of feminism was seen.

Here were women and also some men coming from all walks of life, national organizations of women, professional associations, unions and political parties.

They all came together for a spectacular march requesting “Equal Pay Now”!

For  34 years equal pay has been  anchored within the Swiss federal constitution. However, even today there is a wage gap of  18,9% between women and men. So now the women urgently want the full implementation of this law. They have been waiting for too long.

A difference of 18,9% means an  average yearly shortcoming  of CHF 8000 (at the moment 1 franc is equivalent of 0,93 euro).Women are short of that money now, but  the situation will have a negative impact on their future  pensions.

This was also the main point when the Swiss Association of Women’s Right ADF-SVF was addressing the people participating at the march:

“Women are fed up with waiting, fed up with the reforms at the speed of a snail,fed up knowing that unfair low wages will  endanger future pensions, fed up  being treated badly, fed up  doing the greater part of the unpaid care-work, fed up by so-called which actually  burden women more  and fed up that  women are the poor ones in a rich country.

Yes – this must change!…”

This big demonstration had been organized by 48 organizations, ranging from rural and confessional women’s organizations, all political parties except for the extreme right conservative party, teachers, nurses and other professional associations, unions, the organization of business and professional women, marche mondiale des femmes

Here they all were together united for the International Women’s Day.

This march going through the old city of Berne to the Federal Building, seat of the Swiss government, was very inspiring  both because of convincing slogans and  uplifting rhythms of music bands. More than 12,000 persons were participating (a big success, considering the total population of Switzerland is around 8 millions).

“Liberty – Equality – Solidarity” were the key-words of the day.

Coming to Berne was facilitated by special trains offered free of charge.

Thanks to an excellent management preparing this huge  project the demonstration became a very powerful event widely commented on in the media and voicing strongly the urgent demands of  women.

Of course we all are very happy about this success. However, we are still angry about this scandalous discrimination. So it is urgent that continue the this struggle – and of course ADF-SVF suisse will keep on working for our goals

Martine Gagnebin
President ADF-SVF suisse

Translation U.Nakamura

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