Happy International Women’s Day from USJE!
One of the first national days to recognize the role of women workers was February 28, 1908 in honour of the New York women garment workers’ strike. Today, countries around the world honour International Women’s Day on March 8, established by the United Nations in 1975.
Today, we’re reposting this article from PSAC calling for universally accessible childcare to ensure that women achieve true equality in the workforce:
“This International Women’s Day, workers and women are calling on all federal political parties to commit to a plan for affordable, high-quality child care ahead of the federal election.
It has been nearly 50 years since the report of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women called for a universal child care program to help achieve economic equality for women. In 2019, women and workers need every party to be a #ChildCareChampion
Too many families can’t find licensed child care. For those who do, their daycare fees are likely to cost a quarter of their income.
When child care is unavailable or unaffordable, it is most often women who forego paid employment to look after kids – worsening the gender wage gap and robbing the Canadian economy of an estimated 4% growth in GDP (or $70 billion).
In order for women to achieve true equality, child care in Canada must be universally accessible. This election, we need real commitments from all federal parties to deliver affordable, high-quality child care in every part of Canada.”