Commemorative Dates

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

March 8, 2006

Beyond Laws: The Right to Be Me

Did you know that March 8 is International Women's Day? Established in 1977 by the United Nations, this special day provides an opportunity to celebrate the progress made to advance equality for women and to assess the challenges that remain. This special day also provides an opportunity to consider steps to bring about equality for women in all their diversity.

Canadians will celebrate International Women's Week from Sunday, March 5, to Saturday, March 11, 2006, with the highlight being International Women's Day on March 8.

• Theme
• News releases and statements
• Products available
• Ordering products
• Calendar of activities
• For more information

Theme

The Canadian theme for International Women's Week 2006 is “Beyond Laws: The Right to be Me’’ which addresses women’s rights, women’s diversity and the need to put words into action.

2006 marks the 25^th anniversary of Canada's ratification of the most comprehensive international treaty on women's rights, the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

The law guarantees women and men equal rights, opportunities and responsibilities in all aspects of Canadian life. Much has been accomplished to put into place legal foundations such as the Canadian Human Rights Act, pay and employment equity laws, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and maternity and parental benefits.

Despite these legal foundations, a gap remains between laws and the reality of women’s lives. Many issues from the past, such as violence and poverty, have not been resolved. Today, as women join the labour force in record numbers, raise families and participate in their communities, barriers remain. These barriers keep women, whether they are Aboriginal women, women with disabilities, lesbians, single women, lone parents or women living in poverty, from realizing their full potential.

The legal removal of barriers is not enough. We need to close the gap between the sexes in our daily lives. The 25-year wait for equality is over!

News releases and statements

Products available

To assist you in organizing an activity to mark this special week, Status of Women Canada (SWC) has developed the following products:

• Poster
  Double-sided bilingual poster to promote International Women’s Day 2006
  View Description of Poster in HTML (Web page)
  View the Poster in Acrobat 5* ( 102  KB, 1 page)
  
  
• Lapel Sticker
  Bilingual circular sticker to promote International Women’s Day 2006
  View Description of Lapel Sticker in HTML (Web page)
  View the Lapel Sticker in Acrobat 5* ( 72 KB, 1 page)
  
  
• Virtual Organizer's Tool Kit
  (available on-line only in mid-February)
  Provides background information and suggestions to help you plan activities for this special week. The updated version will soon be posted on the SWC Web site and will also be available for download in PDF format.
  
  
• Logo to create a link
  
  If you have a Web site and want to promote International Women's Week 2006 by creating a link from your Web site to this page, please download the following logo. Right mouse click on the image to save your copy now!
  
  
  

Ordering products

The poster (publication # 06-G-001) and the lapel sticker (publication # 06-G-002) are free and can be ordered on-line . There is a limit of 250 per school, 50 per organization or 2 per individual for each item. Please note that these products are also available on this Web site and for download in Acrobat 5*.

You can also send your request to the SWC Distribution Centre by e-mail to publications@swc-cfc.gc.ca or fax it to (613) 957-3359 (don't forget to specify your mailing address and the requested number of copies).

Calendar of activities

A Calendar of Activities listing various events planned across the country to mark International Women's Week will be available on this Web site as of February 28, 2006.

Please let us know if you or your organization are planning an activity for International Women's Week. We will be pleased to post the information on our Web site. You can either submit the information about your activity online or print and complete the blank form and fax it to (613) 943-2386. All activity information must be submitted to SWC by February 20, 2006 at the latest.

For more information

For more information about International Women's Week, contact SWC by phone at (613) 995-7842 or by e-mail at communications@swc-cfc.gc.ca.