Each October 18, Canada celebrates Persons Day. This day marks the day that some women were declared persons under the constitution gaining the right to stand for or be appointed to public office including the Senate of Canada.
In the 91 years since that ruling, we see that women’s equality continues to be uneven – both in comparison to men and within women as a group. During the pandemic this fact has been increasingly highlighted.
Women in Canada face more exposure, higher death rate, and poorer labour conditions than men since the pandemic was declared. When we examine which women are most acutely affected, Black, Indigenous and women of colour are overrepresented. While some women have achieved some measure of equality, this is not true for women experiencing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.
In the shadow of these new and longstanding inequities, Canada’s federal and provincial governments still resist the change that is necessary in order to make things better.
The anniversary of the Final Report of the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry passed without concrete action. The groundswell of support for Black Lives Matter has resulted in only a minority of governments taking concrete action including pledges to collect race-based data. A famous author’s attack on the lives and humanity of transwomen has gained traction in many corners. And a recent DAWN Canada report underscores that women and girls with disabilities face multiple barriers to accessing employment, health services, sexual and reproductive rights, and are also more at risk of experiencing gender-based violence.
Unifor leaders and members continue to mobilize for social justice throughout this pandemic. With our #BuildBackBetter campaign, we push for structural changes to address inequality, including gender inequality. Campaigns in our health care and retail sectors highlight how racialized and gendered these sectors are, and those effects on workers. Unifor pushes governments and employers to move beyond empty gestures of thanks and instead move toward living wages, dignity and decent working conditions. The temporary measures of pandemic pay must be made permanent for the front line workers whose value should have been recognized all along.
On Persons Day, when elections are taking place in two of our provinces, the importance of electing progressive governments is paramount. We mark the anniversary of the first women being able to stand for office and we highlight that we have much more to do to ensure diversity within decision-making positions. Critical issues such as reproductive rights, child care programs, pay equity and paid domestic violence leave risk being rolled back or never realized through the rise of conservative governments.
To truly acknowledge women as persons, structural changes that seek to disassemble the barriers built by racism, sexism and more need to be made. Activism, strengthening our unions, and electing progressive governments are key to this goal.
Kila Oktoba 18, Canada huadhimisha Siku ya Watu. Siku hii ni siku ambayo wanawake waliwekwa chini ya katiba ya Canada na kupata haki ya kuwania au kuteuliwa kwa ofisi ya umma, ikiwa ni pamoja na Seneti ya Canada. Katika miaka 91 tangu uamuzi huo, tunaona kwamba usawa wa wanawake unaendelea kuwa usio sawa - wote kwa kulinganisha na wanaume na ndani ya wanawake kama kikundi. Wakati wa janga hilo ukweli huu umekaziwa zaidi na zaidi. Wanawake nchini Canada wanakabiliwa na uambukizi zaidi, kiwango cha juu cha vifo, na hali mbaya zaidi za kazi kuliko wanaume tangu janga hilo lilitangazwa. Wakati tunachunguza ni wanawake gani wanaathiriwa sana, Weusi, Wenyeji wa Asili na wanawake wa rangi wanawakilishwa zaidi. Wakati baadhi ya wanawake wamefanikiwa kiasi fulani cha usawa, hii si kweli kwa wanawake uzoefu aina nyingi na intersecting ya ubaguzi. Katika kivuli cha ukosefu huu wa usawa mpya na wa muda mrefu, serikali za shirikisho na mikoa ya Canada bado zinapinga mabadiliko ambayo ni muhimu ili kufanya mambo kuwa bora. Maadhimisho ya miaka ya ripoti ya mwisho ya uchunguzi wa wanawake na wasichana wa asili waliouawa na kutoweka yalipita bila hatua halisi. "Msaada wa ""Black Lives Matter"" umesababisha serikali chache tu kuchukua hatua za dhati, ikiwa ni pamoja na ahadi za kukusanya data ya rangi." Mashambulizi ya mwandishi mashuhuri dhidi ya maisha na ubinadamu wa wanawake wa transgender yamepata traction katika pembe nyingi. Ripoti ya hivi karibuni ya DAWN Canada inasisitiza kuwa wanawake na wasichana wenye ulemavu wanakabiliwa na vizuizi vingi vya kupata ajira, huduma za afya, haki za kijinsia na uzazi, na pia wako katika hatari ya kupata vurugu za kijinsia. Viongozi wa Unifor na wanachama wanaendelea kuhamasisha kwa haki ya kijamii wakati wote wa janga hili. """Kwa kampeni yetu ya #BuildBackBetter, tunasisitiza mabadiliko ya muundo ili kukabiliana na ukosefu wa usawa, ikiwa ni pamoja na ukosefu wa usawa wa kijinsia." Kampeni katika sekta zetu za huduma za afya na rejareja zinaangazia jinsi sekta hizi zilivyo na ubaguzi wa rangi na jinsia, na athari hizo kwa wafanyakazi. Unifor inasisitiza serikali na waajiri kuhamia zaidi ya ishara tupu za shukrani na badala yake kusonga kuelekea mshahara wa kuishi, heshima na hali nzuri ya kazi. """Hatua za muda za kulipa kwa sababu ya janga lazima zifanywe kuwa za kudumu kwa wafanyakazi wa mstari wa mbele ambao thamani yao inapaswa kutambuliwa wakati wote." Katika siku ya watu, wakati uchaguzi unafanyika katika mikoa yetu miwili, umuhimu wa kuchagua serikali za maendeleo ni muhimu sana. "Tunasherehekea maadhimisho ya miaka ya kwanza ya wanawake kuweza kugombea ofisi na tunasisitiza kwamba tuna mengi zaidi ya kufanya ili kuhakikisha utofauti ndani ya nafasi za kufanya maamuzi. """ Masuala muhimu kama vile haki za uzazi, mipango ya utunzaji wa watoto, usawa wa mshahara na unyanyasaji wa nyumbani wa kulipwa huacha hatari ya kuondolewa au kamwe kutambuliwa kupitia kuongezeka kwa serikali za kihafidhina. Ili wanawake kutambuliwa kama watu, mabadiliko ya muundo yanayotaka kuondoa vizuizi vilivyojengwa na ubaguzi wa rangi, ubaguzi wa jinsia na mengine yanahitaji kufanywa. Utendaji, kuimarisha vyama vyetu, na kuchagua serikali za maendeleo ni muhimu kwa lengo hili.