The Confederation of Canadian Unions and its affiliates throughout the country proudly support International Women’s Day on March 8 every year. It’s the global day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It also marks a call to action for women’s empowerment and accelerating gender equity in income, politics, business, government and society as a whole. International Women’s Day (IWD) has occurred for well over a century, with the first celebration created by the socialist movement in 1910.
In 2019, Status of Women Canada has commemorated this year’s theme to be #InnovateforChange. Innovation and technology can help empower women and girls. Yet a growing digital divide means that women are underrepresented in fields like science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Let’s reverse this trend and innovate for change!
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day, #InnovateForChange, is a call to action, asking everyone to harness the power of technology to create a more equal world. By removing the barriers facing women in STEM, we can unleash new ideas and solutions that will transform our society and strengthen our economy.
In Canada, only a third of graduates in STEM are women, a difference that’s magnified in fields such as engineering and computer science. Meanwhile, Canada and other countries face major job shortages in many STEM fields. When women are held back from filling high-quality jobs like these, Canada’s economy is also held back.
It’s important to note that the CCU was founded in 1969 by Madeleine Parent, one of country’s greatest feminists, union organizers and social activists. Parent passed away in 2012, and a poster was commemorated by the CCU to remember her life and work (download below).
