International Women’s Rights Day highlights the various societal issues affecting the fairer sex, but let’s not forget that throughout the year they are committed to asserting their rights.
• Also read: International Women’s Day: five women who shaped Quebec’s history
“Women’s rights must be worked on all year round and not just on March 8th because nothing is safe in either Quebec or Canada, as we can see from what is happening in the world,” said Marie-Andrée Gauthier , spokeswoman for the Collectif March 8, in an interview with agency QMI.
Here are three current struggles affecting women’s rights:
1. Free contraception
Last week British Columbia announced it would make prescription contraceptives free for everyone. Therefore, most hormone pills, implants, injections and intrauterine devices such as the IUD and the morning-after pill are covered by state health insurance.
Free contraception is also a demand by many in Québec, as it would not only give the government financial relief for women, but would also save them the various costs associated with unwanted pregnancies, Québec solidaire said.
The same applies to the executive director of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, Dr. Diane Francoeur. “Maybe our government is a bit lacking in estrogen, female hormones,” she said on LCN last week.
2. The place of women in politics
The position of women in politics is an issue that often comes up in public. Therefore, many governments pride themselves on making room for women.
This is especially true in Quebec, while the CAQ government has been aiming for gender parity in their governments since 2018. The Legault government is currently entering the parity zone with 14 women and 16 men in its Council of Ministers. The CAQ is also the government that elected the most women to the National Assembly in history.
Parity has also been reached on the Ottawa side, with 19 women and 19 men filling the ministerial post if Justin Trudeau is excluded.
3. The issue of abortion
Last June, the United States took a big step backwards when the Supreme Court Roe v. Wade, who protected abortion rights for American women.
When we see such a step backwards, “we react with a lot of anger, but also with solidarity. We take to the streets together and listen to the women affected,” said Ms. Gauthier.
Note that there are several other issues affecting women’s rights, such as: E.g. pay equity or violence against women.