News Release Archive

N.S. STATUS OF WOMEN--Achieving Equality For Women
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Federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for the
status of women concluded their 16th annual meeting today with an
agreement to continue to work together to address issues of
central importance to achieving equality for women.

At the meeting, co-chaired by the federal Minister responsible
for the Status of Women Hedy Fry and Nova Scotia Minister
Responsible for the Status of Women, Francene Cosman, the
ministers reaffirmed their commitment to end violence against
women and their children. 

They also agreed upon a framework for discussion to guide work at
the federal, provincial and territorial levels on this issue.
They shared innovative strategies undertaken in their
jurisdictions and agreed to continue to share new approaches and
strategies to advance violence prevention. They also discussed
the importance of increased awareness of stalking and appropriate
responses.

Ministers also endorsed British Columbia's public education
project designed in consultation with young women to help them
understand their unique financial challenges and actively plan
for their own economic security.

At their meeting, ministers released Economic Gender Equality
Indicators, a set of benchmarks that measure total workload,
including unpaid work as well as paid work, reflecting the
differences between women and men in the areas of income, work
and learning, and also agreed to their periodic update. Ministers
agreed that the indicators will be an effective tool for
analysing policy from a gender perspective such as in the
analysis of pension reform or labour market strategies.

They also discussed the possible reform of the provocation
defence in the Criminal Code and shared information about other
initiatives in their jurisdictions and collaborative approaches
to increase women's access to justice.

The next meeting of federal, provincial and territorial ministers
is scheduled to be held in Yellowknife in 1998.

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Contact: Anne Schroder or Cathy MacRae
         Status of Women Canada
         613-995-7835

         Chris Hansen 
         Status of Women Nova Scotia
         902-456-7560  

sab                    Oct. 31, 1997         5:00 p.m.
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