December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women in Canada. This day marks the anniversary of the murders of 14 young women at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal in 1989.
They died because they were women.
Over 30 years later, the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the many long-standing inequalities and injustices within our society. As isolation measures were put into place to protect us from the virus, many women, girls, and trans and non-binary people faced new dangers at home.
In Canada and around the world, the pandemic led to a dramatic increase in crisis calls to shelters and reports of domestic violence.
The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) has launched its #DoneWaiting campaign to continue pushing this issue forward. This campaign will:
- push the Canadian government to ratify the International Labour Organization’s Convention on Violence and Harassment (ILO C190)
- promote public awareness about these issues at work
- provide new tools for unions to support the effort
It is within our power to make our workplaces safer, free of violence, and supportive of everyone who faces gender-based violence.
In the last round of bargaining PIPSC secured 10 days of paid leave for survivors of domestic violence – a historic victory. Yet this was just one of several recommendations made by the Joint Committee on Domestic Violence following their study.
We are #DoneWaiting. It’s time to take meaningful action to end gender-based violence.
Will you join the campaign?
By adding your name, you’ll join our team working to end gender-based violence. You’ll be the first to know about new tools and events to support our call for change and action.