International Womenâ??s Day: Assessing Womenâ??s Status in Canada â?? Past, Present and Future â?? Is Gender Equality Being Achieved? (Part 1)

This talk will consider women’s status in Canada, beginning with a brief history of the Women’s Rights Movement in Canada. There will be a focus on the Western Canadian provinces and their early embracing of women’s advancement. This will be followed by a discussion of the present status of women in Canada, including such important aspects as the persistent presence of violence against women, the under-representation of women in politics, and issues surrounding childcare. Finally, in light of our history and present situation, future directions to achieve women’s full equality will be discussed. The talk will close with a discussion about the strong potential educating youth about issues of gender inequality has for creating a promising future for all Canadians. Speaker: Auburn Phillips Auburn Phillips recently completed her MA in Women and Gender Studies at the University of Lethbridge. She conducted research with adolescent girls, examining the relevance and importance of women-specific high school curricula for girls. She also has conducted research with First Nations post-secondary students, and has done research in and advocated for the ending of violence against women. Auburn currently works as the School of Graduate Studies Program Specialist at the University of Lethbridge.