Project will help women leaving domestic violence
CAMPBELLTON, NB, Aug. 23, 2018 /CNW/ - The Government is working hard to advancing gender equality and understands the important role that creating more opportunities for women in all aspects of Canadian life can play in promoting women's empowerment. By investing in projects that improve women's economic security, we are helping to ensure that women, their families and communities can prosper.
On behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Status of Women Canada, René Arseneault, Member of Parliament for Madawaska—Restigouche, today announced Government of Canada funding for a project that will increase women's economic security in New Brunswick.
Restigouche CBDC will receive $308,724 in funding for their project, "Increasing Private Sector Leadership and Investments in Women Experiencing Violence." This 36-month project will help increase the economic security of women who have experienced domestic violence by providing opportunities for sustainable employment. This will be achieved by engaging key stakeholders in the development of an action plan to address barriers faced by women fleeing situations of violence. The main activities of the project include a needs assessment to determine the scope of the issue and the creation of an action plan to develop new business policies and procedures that include accommodation options for women fleeing violence. The project will also pilot the implementation of such options through work experiences for women and provide an evaluation of the initiative.
Women continue to be disproportionately affected by economic insecurity. In 2015, women in Canada earned just 87 cents for every dollar earned by men. They are also much more likely to work on a part-time basis, making up 76% of all part-time workers, with 25% of women reporting childcare responsibilities as their reason for working part-time.
In October 2017, Status of Women Canada invited organizations to propose projects that support women's economic security across Canada by addressing some of the root causes of inequality, including barriers such as access to childcare, unequal pay and the gender wage gap. Through this call for proposals, entitled Support for Women's Economic Security, more than 30 projects have been approved for a total of $10 million in funding. These projects will unfold over a period of three years, and funding builds on our ongoing efforts to support women's economic empowerment and advance gender equality for all Canadians.
Quotes
"Our government knows that when we invest in women, we strengthen the economy for everyone, and that's why these projects are so important: they are creating the right conditions for women to thrive in their careers – and their lives. By funding organizations like Restigouche CBDC that will provide key supports to women experiencing violence, we are ensuring that all Canadians – regardless of gender – have a real and fair chance at success."
The Honourable Maryam Monsef, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Status of Women
"I am very happy to announce federal government funding for this excellent project that will provide support, hope and employment for women facing situations of domestic violence. Everyone in this country has the right to live without the fear of violence and I am confident that this project will help many more women do just that."
René Arseneault
Member of Parliament for Madawaska—Restigouche
"We are very pleased that the Government of Canada has offered support and funding for a project that we think will improve the lives of many women in Restigouche, by identifying and addressing a range of barriers that limit the economic security of women who experience domestic violence. We will work with partners in this community to help break some of these barriers, through activities such as raising awareness of employers, and by identifying options for helping women to secure employment as they seek to get out of the precarious economic situation that is often a result of violence."
Michel Guitard, Executive Director
Restigouche CBDC
Quick Facts
- RBC Economics estimates that adding more women to the workforce could boost the level of Canada's GDP by as much as 4 per cent.
- McKinsey Global Institute estimates that by taking steps to advance equality for women—such as employing more women in technology and boosting women's participation in the workforce—Canada could add $150 billion to its economy by 2026.
- Projects are being funded through the call for proposals, Support for Women's Economic Security, which was announced in October 2017.
- Economic security is composed of basic social security, defined by access to basic needs such as health, education and housing.
- More than 30 projects will receive a total of approximately $10 million in funding under this call for proposals.
- Funded projects address institutional barriers to women's economic security including access to childcare, pay inequity and the gender wage gap.
- The Women's Program at Status of Women Canada supports eligible organizations to carry out projects to advance equality by addressing systemic barriers.
Associated Links
- Community Business Development Corporations
- Support for Women's Economic Security
- Call for Proposals Application Guide
- General Eligibility Requirements for Women's Program Funding
- Guidelines for Eligible Expenses
- Status of Women Canada – Women's Program
Backgrounder
Status of Women Canada – Women's Program
One of the ways Status of Women Canada advances gender equality in Canada is by providing funding to eligible organizations through the Women's Program. Projects are selected via calls for proposals on specific themes, as well as through a continuous intake process that allows the Women's Program to accept applications on an ongoing basis.
The Women's Program funds projects of up to five years that address systemic barriers to women's equality in three priority areas: ending violence against women and girls; improving the economic security of women and girls; and encouraging women and girls in leadership roles.
Calls for Proposals – Support for Women's Economic Security and Addressing the Economic Security and Prosperity of Indigenous Women
On October 2, 2017, the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Status of Women, launched two calls for proposals. The first call, entitled Support for Women's Economic Security, invited organizations to apply for funding for projects to address the economic security of women and help advance gender equality in Canada. More than 30 projects will receive a total of $10 million in funding through this call for proposals.
This call for proposals is divided into two themes; the first is Building Partnerships to Address Systemic Barriers, which provides funding to address major barriers that limit women's economic security, including, but not limited to, the accessibility of childcare, the gender wage gap and pay inequity.
The second theme, Increasing Private Sector Leadership and Investments in Women, encourages organizations to partner with the private sector to find innovative solutions that will help advance women's economic security.
The second call for proposals, entitled Addressing the Economic Security and Prosperity of Indigenous Women, invited organizations to foster collaboration between Indigenous women, Indigenous organizations, their communities, and the private sector to support the economic security and prosperity of Indigenous women across Canada. Fourteen projects across the country will receive more than $4.3 million in funding through this call for proposals.
Funded Project
Restigouche CBDC is a not-for-profit organization that provides financial and technical services to entrepreneurs to help in the creation of small businesses and in the expansion and modernization of existing businesses. They provide business counselling, training and advice, as well as loans, loan guarantees and equity financing to existing and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Project Description
Restigouche CBDC will receive $308,724 in funding for their project, "Increasing Private Sector Leadership and Investments in Women Experiencing Violence." This 36-month project will help increase the economic security of women who have experienced domestic violence by providing opportunities for sustainable employment. This will be achieved by engaging key stakeholders in the development of an action plan to address barriers faced by women fleeing situations of violence. The main activities of the project include a needs assessment to determine the scope of the issue and the creation of an action plan to develop new business policies and procedures that include accommodation options for women fleeing violence. The project will also pilot the implementation of such options through work experiences for women and provide an evaluation of the initiative.
Statistics – Women's Economic Security
- In 2017, women in New Brunswick earned $0.93 for every dollar earned by men on an average hourly basis.
- In 2015, 82.0% of women in the core working ages of 25 to 54 years (6 million) participated in the labour market.
- In 2015, women represented 47.2% of the labour force, up from 45.7% in 1999 and 37.1% in 1976.
- In 2015, the national employment rate for women was 77.5% compared to 85.3% for men.
- On average women work 5.6 hours per week less than men (35.5 hours/week compared to 41.1 hours/week).
- Currently, 19% of employed women work part-time (compared with 5.5% of employed men).
- The average net worth of lone mothers was less than half of that of lone fathers: $240,000 versus $540,000. Unattached women and men had similar average net worth at $250,000 and $230,000, respectively.
- Lone mothers had the lowest average adjusted income ($25,300), followed by those who were unattached ($33,700). The average adjusted incomes of lone fathers and unattached men were similar (around $40,300). Notably, the average adjusted income of lone mothers was $15,000 less than that of lone fathers.
Follow Status of Women Canada:
SOURCE Status of Women Canada
Justine Villeneuve, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Status of Women, 819-420-7044; Nanci-Jean Waugh, Director General, Communications and Public Affairs, Status of Women Canada, 819-420-6810
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