Election 2008: FAFIA’s CEDAW Pledge
During the 2006 federal election campaign, FAFIA issued a pledge to all federal party leaders asking them to support women’s human rights by upholding the UN Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and implementing CEDAW recommendations.
All parties signed the pledges and asserted their commitment to women’s equality.
Since 2006, many CEDAW recommendations go ignored and women’s inequality persists. Due to such factors as lack of affordable housing childcare; insufficient social assistance rates; and funding cuts for women’s advocacy and research, women’s equality has taken a step backwards.
During the 2008 federal election, FAFIA asked all Federal Party leaders to once again sign a pledge to uphold CEDAW and ensure the implementation of recommendations and also to create a government mechanism to lend accountability in ensuring the implementation of recommendations, and to continually follow-up on the progress of the implementation.
OPPOSITION LEADERS COMMIT TO ENSURING WOMEN’S EQUALITY
No Response from Prime Minister Harper
OTTAWA-“Party Leaders have a responsibility to the women of Canada to ensure that their rights are upheld, Barbara Cameron, Board Member of the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA), a pan-Canadian alliance of over 50 women’s organizations, stated urging all federal party leaders to commit to upholding Canada’s international women’s human rights commitments.
FAFIA has a issued a pledge urging all party leaders, if elected, to implement recommendations by the United Nations’ Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and to ensure that a government mechanism be established to review and follow-up on CEDAW recommendations.
All Opposition Party leaders, including Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, New Democrat Leader Jack Layton, Bloc Québecois Leader Gilles Duceppe and the Leader of the Green Party Elizabeth May, signed the pledges and declared their commitment to ensuring women’s equality in Canada.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada did not respond to the pledge.
During the 2006 election campaign, all party leaders signed an earlier pledge asserting their commitment to uphold the CEDAW convention.
Prime Minister Harper, then Leader of the Official Opposition wrote, “Yes, I’m ready to support women’s human rights and I agree that Canada has more to do to meet its international obligations to women’s equality. If elected, I will take concrete and immediate measures, as recommended by the United Nations, to ensure that Canada fully upholds its commitments to women in Canada.” (January 18, 2006).
Canada ratified the CEDAW convention in 1981, with consensus of all provinces and territories. As signatory, the government of Canada regularly reports to the United Nations on its adherence to CEDAW. FAFIA, its member organizations, and other civil society organizations also report to the committee on Canada’s performance under CEDAW.
In 2003, the UN CEDAW committee made 23 recommendations to Canada to eliminate discrimination against women. The recommendations included adopting pay equity legislation; investing in childcare, housing and education; improving the lives of Aboriginal women and their families; increasing social assistance rates; and supporting women’s organizing.
Canada’s next review under CEDAW will take place October 22, 2008 in Geneva.
See the links below to view signed pledges:
Liberal Party of Canada
English
French
New Democrat Party of Canada
Click here
Bloc Quebecois Party
Click here
Green Party of Canada
Click here
