The declaration reinforces the right to live free from violence and the need for concrete efforts to address and prevent all forms of gender-based violence. It also sets out a common vision, principles, goals and pillars for a National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, “which will be an evolving approach to guide our actions in preventing and addressing gender-based violence”. Canada’s unions and our allies in women’s movements have long called for a National Action Plan.

“Over half of women in Canada will experience violence or harassment in their lifetimes,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker. “The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even more difficult for survivors to access support. For those who face racism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia and other oppressions, barriers to services sometimes feel insurmountable.”

A National Action Plan would better coordinate efforts across all levels of government to prevent gender-based violence and support survivors to receive timely and culturally appropriate access to services. If done right, it will also complement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Calls for Justice.

“Any effort to tackle gender-based violence must also address workplace violence and harassment,” added Clarke Walker. “Every pillar of the National Action Plan should include recommendations to prevent and address violence and harassment in the world of work that are guided by the International Labour Organization Convention C-190.”

In order for the National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence to be truly effective, Canada must ratify ILO Convention C-190 – the first-ever global treaty on violence and harassment in the world of work.

C-190 was adopted by the ILO in 2019. It sets out clear, gender-responsive policies for governments and employers to implement in order to work towards the elimination of all forms of violence and harassment at work. It becomes legally binding once a country ratifies it. Canada requires the agreement of all provinces and territories in order to ratify the convention.

Women in Canada are #DoneWaiting for an end to gender-based violence. A national crisis requires bold, national action. We welcome this important first step from Ministers across the country – and look forward to finally moving forward, together.

The post Canada’s unions welcome new declaration to address gender-based violence appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women – observed every year on November 25 – also marks the start of 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence.

“Gender-based violence was a crisis in Canada even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the pandemic, domestic violence has increased and measures to slow the spread of the virus have made it increasingly difficult for anyone living in an abusive relationship to escape their abusers,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker. “Over a third of women workers have experienced domestic violence – and those numbers are even higher for trans people,”

A woman is killed by her intimate partner every 6 days in this country. Thousands of Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people have been murdered or gone missing. And more than half of women have been exposed to sexual harassment at work.

Shelters and support organizations in many areas have reported alarming increases in demand for services. With many people, working from home and many others laid off, the stress of economic insecurity, social isolation, fear of infection and other pressures raises the risk of escalating violence ꟷ and creates new barriers to support.

Calling a shelter or sexual assault centre can feel impossible when under a partner’s watch. Police interventions and “wellness checks” have proven deadly for Black and Indigenous people in particular.

COVID-19 has also led to a rise in violence and harassment at work, especially for workers on the front lines in health care, food services and retail, and other public-facing jobs. These are sectors where the majority of workers are women, many of whom are BIPOC, immigrant and migrant women and young women.

“We applaud governments’ efforts to support shelters through the increased demand this year, but this pandemic clearly shows the importance of services and supports for women, children and others experiencing violence,” said Walker. “Now more than ever, Canada needs a National Action Plan to tackle this crisis.

The National Action Plan must establish clear targets for eliminating gender-based violence. It must be intersectional and long-term and it must tackle gender-based violence and harassment at work. This means that Canada needs to ratify ILO Convention-190 on violence and harassment, and establish concrete ways to meet ILO obligations. Canada’s unions are ready to work with governments and employers to make this happen.

“Five years ago, Canada’s unions joined feminist and women’s organizations to lay out the blueprint for a National Action Plan. The time to act is now. We are done waiting,” said Walker. ‘

Visit the Done Waiting website for more information.

The post Canada’s unions call for a National Action plan on Gender-Based Violence appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.