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Today is a day to recognize the sacrifices that those who identify as women and girls make each day.
Today is International Women’s Day – to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about discrimination and take action to bring gender equality.
“This is about celebrating the accomplishments and leadership of women, but it’s also an important day to reflect on how hard it is for women, even to this day, to experience equality in a number of different domains,” explains Thunder Bay–Superior North MP and Minister of Indigenous Services, Patty Hajdu.
“On average, women are still making 27 cents less on the dollar than men. There are still several sectors where women are not encouraged to participate or have a hard time. And we still see rates of gender-based violence at astronomical levels,” adds Hajdu.
“There’s still work to do, but it is a day to reflect on how far we’ve come. And to have some gratitude for our mothers, grandmothers and the women before them that fought for things like the ability to vote and the ability to work outside of the home.”
This year’s theme is ‘Every Woman Counts’ – a reminder that all women, from all ages and walks of life, have a place in every aspect of Canadian society.
Hajdu also spoke about the need to end patriarchal social norms for those who identify as men as well – including stopping the use of phrases like ‘boys don’t cry’, ‘man up’ and more.
In this morning’s remarks, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau encouraged all Canadians to stand up for a more equal world and to take time to celebrate women’s contributions in every aspect of Canada.