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CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
November 12, 2004 | |
Author: |
A. Roberts/
| |
Phone No.: |
873-7249/873-7245 | |
RTS No.: |
04622 | |
CC File No.: |
4102 | |
Meeting Date: |
November 30, 2004 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
Councillor Anne Roberts, Councillor Ellen Woodsworth, Co-chairs, and Women's Task Force |
SUBJECT: |
Women's Task Force |
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council receive the Interim Report of the Women's Task Force for INFORMATION.
CONSIDERATION
A. THAT Council consider adoption of the three components of the recommended Interim Action Plan for Gender Equality for the City of Vancouver as outlined in A i), A ii) and A iii).
i) THAT Council approve the extension of the term of the Women's Task Force to July 2005;
ii) That Council approve the vision, and values statements of the Women's Task Force
iii) THAT Council approve the "Interim Action Plan" described in this report, to develop and implement a comprehensive Gender Equality Policy and Gender Equality Action Plan for the City of Vancouver; and
B. THAT Council approve a total budget of $60,000 to implement the Women's Task Force interim work plan reporting to the General Manager of Community Services, subject to 2005 budget considerations;
i) Further That $35,000 of the budget be used for the hiring of a consultant to assist the Women's Task Force in the development and implementation of the work outlined in the Interim Action Plan.
ii) $25,000 of the budget will be applied towards operational cost related to the public participation and consultation process such as child care, hall rental, translation, information & notification etc. and a public event on International Women's Day in March 2005.
C. THAT Council instruct the Women's Task Force to report back on its accomplishments by the end of July 2005.
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager recommends approval of recommendation, and presents A, B & C for Council's consideration. The City Manager notes that since 1986 the City has had a comprehensive Equal Employment Opportunity Program which addressed equity issues within the City. This proposed work plan must be integrated with other City initiatives including the Equal Employment Opportunity Office, Community Services Group and the Vancouver Agreement.
COUNCIL POLICY
On December 2nd, 2003, Council approved the following motion:
"THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Vancouver establish the "Women's Work Taskforce" to report directly to Council on:
1) ways in which the City of Vancouver can better assist women impacted by recent provincial cuts to programs, services and legislation protections as documented in the city's Social Planning Department report and the CEDAW motion;
2) a review of the principles, operating procedures and funding that exist to ensure that women's equality concerns are reflected appropriately throughout the City's work plan; and
3) what initiatives can be taken by municipalities, acting together and with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, to improve the situation of women, their representation and access to needed services and programs;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force membership include Councillors Roberts and Woodsworth, one Park Board Commissioner and one School Board Trustee; staff of the City of Vancouver from among Social Planning, Planning, Engineering and the Equal Employment office; community representatives from local women's groups and organizations serving women's needs, and academic experts; and be Co-chaired by Councillor Woodsworth and Councillor Roberts with the General Manager of Community Services and Director of the Equal Employment Office as staff liaisons.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force report back in three months with a work plan, time line and proposed resources for implementation."
SUMMARY
This report outlines the activities and recommendations of the Women's Task Force. Since April 2004, the Women's Task Force has held meetings and workshops through which it developed a vision for gender equality in Vancouver, values statements to guide further action, and a detailed list of areas of concern and ideas for action.
The Task Force acknowledged and recommended that an effective and sustainable approach to working towards gender equality in Vancouver would involve developing a policy framework and an action framework rather than a focus on gender equality on an issue-by-issue basis.
The proposed interim action plan is comprised of three components. First, it requests an extension of the term of the Women's Task Force to July in order to guide the Action Plan. Second, it proposes an Interim work plan that includes:
· Developing a framework for a Gender Equality Policy for the City of Vancouver;
· Developing a framework for a Gender Equality Action Plan for the City of Vancouver; and
· Conducting further research and consultation and making recommendations in three focused areas: Civic Engagement, Safety and Accessibility, and Health and Well-Being.
Third, the interim work plan recommends that the City hire a consultant to work with the Women's Task Force, conducting and managing these activities, research best practice models in other cities, and allocate operational funding to support the community consultation process.
The Task Force will work in conjunction with other City departments, such as the Food Policy Group, Equal Employment Opportunities Office, Social Planning, and Community Services, and form linkages with ongoing initiatives, such as the Homelessness Action Plan.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to report back to Council on progress of the Women's Task Force to date and to recommend an Interim Action Plan for creating a policy framework and action framework for Gender Equality in the City of Vancouver.
BACKGROUND
The report from Social Planning on the Impact of Provincial Cuts on Women's Advocacy Groups, dated March 13, 2003 documented the growing pressures in the lives of Vancouver's women and their families as a result of changes and cuts to provincial policies and programs.
The report found that women have not only been adversely affected by direct cuts to women-serving organizations, but have also been disproportionately affected by changes in areas such as income assistance, assistance for people with disabilities, childcare, health, employment, sexual assault/violence against women, legal aid, immigration and advocacy.
The Council motion of December 2nd, 2003 emerged as a result of both concern over the challenges women in Vancouver face because of significant structural, program and funding changes implemented by the Provincial government, and recognition that gender equality and full inclusion are critical to good local governance. Council established the Women's Task Force to explore ways that the City could more effectively address issues of gender inequality.
As a first step, the work of the Women's Task Force has focussed on establishing the City's vision for Gender Equality, setting goals for further work, identifying the components of a strategy that will ensure the City's approach is both effective and sustainable, and identifying the policy areas of concern and generating ideas for action to address them.
DISCUSSION
Gender Inequality
At the World Urban Forum in September 2004, Councillor Woodsworth, Co-chair of the Women's Task Force, launched the 2004 Edition of A City Tailored to Women: the Role of Municipal Governments in Achieving Gender Equality, jointly produced by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Femme et ville program of the City of Montreal, A City Tailored to Women invited municipalities around the world to take up the challenge of helping to achieve gender equality:
"...while both women and men are affected by the actions of municipal governments, they experience them differently. Women are not as actively involved in municipal politics, even though they are specifically affected by decisions that concern their socio-economic conditions, including housing, the balance between work and family responsibilities, safety, transportation, health and education. By ensuring the civic participation of women and by responding to their specific needs, municipal governments can play a leading role in helping to achieve the equality of men and women".
The disproportionate nature of policy impacts for women in Vancouver is due to enduring factors of gender inequality across Canada. Gender inequality remains a significant issue in the economy, income distribution and employment. This situation is particularly serious for women with disabilities, older women, and visible minorities.
Further, women continue to be primarily responsible for child care, elder care, food preparation, laundry and cleaning. The burden of unpaid labour often acts as a barrier to full participation in the work force, in political action, and in taking advantage of educational opportunities, for example.
The percentage of single-parent families has increased significantly and most are led by women. According to Statistics Canada, the presence of children, rather than factors such as marriage, education or age, is the major factor in the gap between women's and men's wages.
Gender-based violence, and the fear of it, continues to play a significant role in limiting women's choices and expectations in their home, their workplaces and their communities. All women are vulnerable to violence but research repeatedly shows that aboriginal women and women with disabilities are particularly vulnerable.
Gender Equality and Full Inclusion
Gender equality is assured in Canada through Sections 15(1) and 28 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and through our ratification of several international human rights instruments, in particular, the 1981 United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the 1995 United Nations Platform for Action. And by its recent endorsement of the Worldwide Declaration on Women and Local Government, the City of Vancouver further committed itself to striving to meet these legal obligations.
The City is committed to ensuring equality and quality of life for all its citizens, and as a member of FCM has endorsed the International Union of Local Authorities Worldwide Declaration on Women and Local Government. By ratifying the Declaration, "a municipality commits itself to, among other things:
_ Strengthening efforts to make equal the number of women and men in decision-making bodies at all levels and in all policy areas;
_ Applying the mainstreaming principle by integrating a gender perspective into all policies, programs and service-delivery activities...and to developing methods for monitoring and measuring this mainstreaming work".
The City has shown leadership in the areas of equality and inclusion through its policies and initiatives related to youth, cultural diversity, and aboriginal and immigrant populations. The City has also shown leadership on gender equality issues in areas such as Equal Employment Opportunity Program, child care and housing but wishes to address this issue in a more comprehensive way.
Full citizenship requires equal access to participation and for many citizens, this access is limited. At the local government level, gender-based analysis can be a powerful policy development tool, one of several that can help the City to make the most informed decisions, to ensure that programs and policies are as effective as possible, and to avoid unintended negative impacts on women or men, girls or boys. Gender equality requires a consideration of the situation of both genders.
Progress of the Women's Task Force
The Women's Task Force is co-chaired by Councillors Anne Roberts and Ellen Woodsworth, and has broad community representation through 20 community-based members, as well as representation from Parks Board, School Board, and several City departments. (See Appendix A: complete list of Task Force members.)
Efforts by City Council to increase awareness of gender equality issues have been well received. A ceremony in Council chamber on International Women's Day (March 8, 2004) that celebrated the contributions of all women who had ever been elected to Council, Parks Board and the School Board in Vancouver, was well attended by a great variety of women. Hundreds of women who have been active on gender equality issues over the past few decades joined past and present elected women in a lively discussion on increasing women's participation in municipal decision making.
Since April 2004, the Women's Task Force held several meetings and workshops to discuss issues and concerns of women in Vancouver. The group also conducted a preliminary assessment of ways that the City could more effectively address issues of gender inequality in Vancouver; through which it has developed a vision, values statement, and a brainstorm list ofideas for action. (See Appendix B: Women's Task Force vision & values statements, and brainstorm list of ideas for action.)
The Task Force decided that it would be more comprehensive, effective and sustainable to approach Gender Equality through the development of a policy framework and an action framework rather than to approach the issue of gender equality from a single-issue perspective (e.g. women's safety, childcare, civic engagement). This requires examining policy models from other municipalities and obtaining more broad-based input from the community.
The Task Force proposes an interim work plan that will allow the City to engage more fully in the area of gender equality. While various gender equality initiatives have been undertaken in other municipalities, these focus predominantly on a single issue such as safety, transit, or housing rather than being part of a comprehensive policy development framework. The consistent application of a gender equality lens to all policies and practices will build on areas such as childcare and housing, where the City has already played a leadership role, and will place the City at the cutting edge of work in this area.
The interim action plan includes research on best practices, consultation with experts and the broader community, and recommendations for action which will form the framework for a comprehensive Gender Equality Policy and Gender Equality Action Plan for the City of Vancouver. The Women's Task Force will undertake a community consultation process inviting input and participation from the diverse community members. This can also serve as a public education tool to heighten awareness of gender issues.
PROPOSED INTERIM ACTION PLAN FOR GENDER EQUALITY IN VANCOUVER
The proposed Interim Action Plan to Council comprised of three components:
I. Extension of the term of the Women's Task Force to July 2005
II. Interim work plan
III. Implementation support
I. EXTEND THE TERM OF THE WOMEN'S TASK FORCE TO JULY 2005
It is recommended that Council extend the term of the Women's Task Force and include a mandate to carry out the interim work plan between January and July 2005, and to report back to Council with a comprehensive plan for gender equality in Vancouver, by July 2005.
II. INTERIM WORK PLAN
The interim work plan will allow the Task Force to gather and analyze the information necessary to create a framework for the long-term development and implementation of both a Gender Equality Policy and a Gender Equality Plan for the City of Vancouver. The action items outlined below are thus important building blocks that set the stage for a more comprehensive approach to gender equality. In order to comprehensively address issues of gender equality in the long-term, new structures and mechanisms along with adequate staffing and funding would be required.
The interim work plan builds on the considerable expertise of the members of the Women's Task Force, who have extensive experience working with a broad range of women in Vancouver and on gender equality issues. It aims to gather additional input from the community. It also allows the City to learn from the experiences of other cities - in Canada and elsewhere with a view to Vancouver becoming a recognized leader in gender equality issues in the build up to the World Urban Forum in 2006.
The two areas for action are as follows:
A. Develop a framework for a Gender Equality Policy for the City of Vancouver
Gender equality policies and tools have proliferated within the infrastructure of progressive cities around the world, and in particular since Habitat II (the Istanbul Cities Summit, 1996). Tools such as gender auditing, and gender impact assessments are allowing municipalities to look at how their policies and programs may be inadvertently affecting women and men differently, and the application of a gender lens is allowing them to change this situation (see Appendix C for examples of the application of these tools).
Habitat III will take place in Vancouver alongside the World Urban Forum in 2006. This presents an opportunity for the City of Vancouver to be recognized as a world leader in gender equality. According to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the ideal Municipal Policy on Gender Equality:
"sets out the goals, means and resources needed, as well as the municipal structure that will be responsible for carrying out an annual gender equality action plan. The policy is cross-sectoral by definition and will apply to all areas of municipal activity, including the urban plan, housing, transportation and public safety. It may include specific targets such as fighting poverty, violence against women, women's safety, access to housing and homeownership or access to recreation. Since the municipality is also an employer, the policy will provide for equal access to jobs and salaries, as well as measures for work-family reconciliation to promote gender equality among municipal employees"
Limited information on gender equality policies in other cities has already been assessed by the Women's Task Force. In order to develop a gender equality policy specific to the City of Vancouver, more information on relevant City policies and programs and on existing precedents and models from around the world needs to be gathered and analyzed with a view to making recommendations for both short-term and long-term policy changes. This research will provide a comprehensive picture of feasible and best practices in municipal government gender equality policy development, implementation tools and evaluation mechanisms.
Between January and June 2005, the Women's Task Force will make recommendations to Council related to policy changes and implementation tools that could be used in the short-term (such as the consistent collection of gender-disaggregated data and the application of a check list in relevant reports coming before Council to allow the City to begin to assess for gender equality implications).
At the end of July 2005, the Women's Task Force will report back to Council with a framework for the development of a comprehensive Gender Equality Policy along with the tools, training, and other types of support required for long-term implementation.
The development of a Gender Equality Policy will require the assistance of a consultant to conduct research on best practices, hold meetings with City staff to collect information on relevant City policies and initiatives, provide a one day workshop for Women's Task Force on both, and draft a framework for a Gender Equality Policy. Work on a Gender Equality Policy will be conducted in tandem with developing a framework for a Gender Equality Action Plan.
B. Develop a framework for a Gender Equality Action Plan for the City of Vancouver
A policy on gender equality would be made concrete in an annual Gender Equality Action Plan. FCM notes that this plan would lay out actions, goals, resources, partners, a timetable and expected results; together with a plan for ongoing monitoring and evaluation. It would be executed by the municipal administrative structure in charge of gender equality in conjunction with women's groups, local community and public organizations and women citizens.
The Women's Task Force identified a broad range of areas of concern as well as a long list of ideas for action related to: civic engagement; safety, the sex trade, transit, drug addictions and treatment, support for women's services and programs, housing, child care, employment, young aboriginal women and community education.
The Task Force has condensed these ideas into three broad areas of further work that members with particular experience and expertise have committed to focussing on in three working groups: Civic Engagement; Safety and Accessibility, and Health and Well-Being. The Task Force recognize that there is overlap between the three areas. The separation will maximize the efficacy of the Women's Task Force over the next 6 months. Some elements are wholly within the mandate of the City of Vancouver, and some will clearly need to be addressed in conjunction with other levels of government and other partners.
In order to develop a framework for a gender equality action plan specific to the City of Vancouver, the Women's Task Force must conduct further research and consultations in order to be able to make recommendations to Council for short-term and long-term actions.
A consultant will be engaged to assist the three working groups to:
a) conduct research - review best practices worldwide drawing in additional expertise; review past and current City initiatives with relevant staff;
b) conduct consultations - conduct focus groups with diverse community members and meetings with other groups to gather additional input
c) make recommendations - recommend both short-term and long-term actions, including evaluation mechanism to Council.
a) Research
In each of the three issue areas there are models that the City of Vancouver can draw from (e.g. Ottawa's City for All Women Initiative, the City of Toronto's Safe City Task Force, and the UK Department of Transportation's Gender Audit Checklist). A review of best practices will allow the Women's Task Force to make recommendations to Council that make sense locally. Further, the City itself has enjoyed success that can be built upon in each of the three areas, (e.g. the civic election youth strategy, Community Services Grants to Prostitution Alternatives Counselling Education Society (PACE) and the Women's Information Safe House (WISH), and the Child Care Strategy).
Work required will include research on best practices, meetings with City staff to collect information on relevant successful City initiatives, and a one day workshop for Women's Task Force on both Issues.
b) Consultations
Some of the ideas generated by the Women's Task Force are in areas where City policy is already well developed (e.g. childcare, housing). Other ideas e.g. establishing a women's building, taking action to support gender equality for young aboriginal women, women in the sex trade etc., will require additional input from the diverse groups within the women community (e.g. co-hosting a meeting with an Aboriginal agency with young aboriginal women). Targeted community consultations with the diverse groups will further clarify developing initiatives and generate additional ideas that will contribute to the framework for a Gender Equality Action Plan.
Further, some action ideas fall wholly within the mandate of the City of Vancouver (e.g. increasing women's awareness of how civic issues impact their lives), and some would clearly require working with other levels of government and other partners (e.g. working with both the Provincial and Federal Governments to increase social housing for women). Consultative meetings with other bodies will clarify the feasibility of particular ideas.
Work required could include up to 20 Working Group and consultative meetings that are focus groups in the community or meetings with other bodies and levels of government).
c) Make Recommendations
Short-term recommendations may come back to Council between January and June 2005. Recommendations for long-term actions and implementation mechanisms (training, tools, timelines, support, etc.) will be included a framework for a Gender Equality Action Plan for the City of Vancouver.
The Women's Task Force will report back to City Council at the end of July 2005, with a proposed Gender Equality Policy Framework for the City of Vancouver and a detailed Gender Equality Action Plan.
III. IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT
To ensure implementation of the proposed action plan, the following supports are recommended.
Staffing and Related Resources
It is recommended that Council provide resources to hire a consultant to work closely with the Women's Task Force to conduct necessary research, organizing, supporting, and facilitate the community consultation process; as well as workshop for the task force itself. The consultant will work with the Women's Task Force in the development of the Gender Equality Policy and Action Plan. Estimated budget for this work is $35,000. It is also recommended that the City provide additional resources to support operation expenses needed in the community consultation process such as translation of information & materials, child care, hall rental, and refreshments. The budget for the consultation process is $25,000. The Women's Task Force is therefore requesting a total budget of $60,000 to develop the Gender Equality Policy and Action Plan for the City of Vancouver.
Reporting structure
It is recommended that the consultant report directly to the General Manager of Community Services. However, the consultant will also "report" to the Women's Task Force in the sense that she/he will act as the main liaison between the Task Force and the City (see Appendix D: Responsibilities of the consultant).
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Subject to 2005 Budget Consideration, the hiring of a consultant to conduct all of the work contained within the Interim Work Plan will incur an estimated cost of $35,000. It is also recommended that the City provide additional resources for consultations at a total estimated cost of $25,000, for a total cost of $60,000.
CONCLUSION
In December 2003, the City of Vancouver created the Women's Task Force to explore ways that the City could more effectively address issues of gender inequality. Since April 2004, the Women's Task Force has developed a vision for gender equality in Vancouver, values statements for further action, and a detailed list of areas of concern and ideas for action.
The Task Force recommends that an effective and sustainable approach to working towards gender equality in Vancouver involve developing a policy framework and an action framework rather than focus on gender equality on an issue-by-issue basis.
The Task Force recommends an interim action plan that is comprised of three components. First, it requests an extension of the term of the Women's Task Force to July. Second, it proposes an Interim work plan that includes
· Developing a framework for a Gender Equality Policy for the City of Vancouver;
· Developing a framework for a Gender Equality Action Plan for the City of Vancouver; and
· Conducting further research and consultation and making recommendations in the areas of Civic Engagement, Safety and Accessibility, and Health and Well-Being.
Third, the interim work plan recommends that the City hire a consultant to work with the Women's Task Force, conducting and managing these activities, research best practice models, and allocate operational funding to support the community consultation process. It is recommended that a budget of $60,000 be allocated for this work, subject to 2005 budget considerations.
The Task Force will work in conjunction with other City departments, such as the Food Policy Group, Equal Employment Opportunities Office, Social Planning, and Community Services, and form linkages with ongoing initiatives, such as the Homelessness Action Plan.
- - - - -
Appendix A: Women's Task Force Membership
Name |
Organization |
Councillor Ellen Woodsworth |
Co-Chair |
Councillor Anne Roberts |
Co-Chair |
Janet Austin |
YWCA |
Patricia Barnes |
Hastings North Business Improvement Association |
Anita Braha |
Barrister & Solicitor, specializing in human rights |
May Brown |
Board member, Minerva Foundation for B.C. Women |
Yvonne Chui |
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens |
Brenda Coombs |
CUPE LOCAL 15 and CUPE B.C. Women's Committee |
Reva Dexter |
Vice- Chair , Board of Directors, VanCity Savings Credit Union |
Raminder Dosanjh |
Spokesperson, India Mahila (Women's) Association |
Caryn Duncan |
Vancouver Women's Health Collective |
Mable Elmore |
Vancouver and District Labour Council |
Stephanie Glube |
Board Member, Real Power Youth Society |
Fatima Jaffer |
|
Audrey Johnson |
West Coast LEAF |
Darlene Marzari |
|
Adrienne Montani |
Chairperson, Vancouver School Board |
Gabrielle Moro |
Director, Language Studies Canada |
Annette Murray |
|
Chris Stewart |
|
Begum Verjee |
Diversity Advisor/Women's Issues, Access & Diversity, UBC |
Loretta Woodcock |
Vancouver Parks Board |
Jacqui Forbes-Roberts |
General Manager of Community Services, Community Services Group |
Wendy Au |
Community Project Manager, City Manager's Office |
Anne Kloppenborg |
Social Planner, Social Planning |
Lorna McCreath |
Director, Equal Employment Opportunity Program |
Anne Nickerson |
EEO Advisor, Equal Employment Opportunity Program |
Vanessa Geary |
Executive Assistant to the Mayor |
Ali Grant |
Facilitator, Women's Task Force |
Appendix B: WTF Vision & Values Statements
Brainstorm list of ideas for action
DRAFT Vision Statement
The City of Vancouver, founded on the joint traditional territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, is a community where all women and girls are full participants in all aspects of city life. The principles of gender, race, and class equity are entrenched in all city initiatives, policies, programs, funding, workforce, organizational structures, procedures and design. The City encourages community, public and private institutions to value and nurture the complexities of women's lives by providing accessible, respectful, visible, and well-resourced services. Women and their families, in all their diversity, will receive the protection and support they require to ensure equity--economically, spiritually, physically and socially.
DRAFT Statement of Values
We Value:
_ Accountability - and will work to take individual responsibility for our actions within the task force and collectively as a task force
_ Anti-Oppression - and will work to understand and acknowledge the intersections of oppression and respect working from places of difference
_ Cooperation - and will work together through active participation to reach the wisest results
_ Consensus - and will work to make decisions by consensus with transparent "tie-breakers"
_ Consultation - and will work to hear and address the issues of those most affected by our actions
_ Credibility - and will work to ensure our actions have credibility at all levels
_ Diversity - and will work to ensure participation with influence, and reject one solution for all
_ Empowerment - and will work to make our experiences fulfilling, invigorating and joyful
_ Generosity - and will give freely of our participation, our knowledge, and our history
_ Honesty - and will work to be open with ourselves and with each other
_ Learning - and will work to educate ourselves on an open way of thinking that is progressive and reflective of our Vision.
_ Respectfulness - and will work to create an environment that is respectful of different ways of thinking
_ Results - and will work on actions that are visible, concrete and sustainable
_ Strategic Change - and will give priority to the issues of those women most marginalized in our City
_ Trust - and will build a network of women who will ensure that work of the task force continues to move forward.
Brainstorming: Ideas for Action
Civic Engagement
_ Develop action plan for increasing participation of women in civic election and how civic issues impact their lives
Establish a Gender Agenda
_ Work with City staff to develop a template for discussion about impacts of City policies on women and children
_ Establish Women's Advisory Committee
Supporting Young Aboriginal Women
_ Host/convene focus groups/meetings with young aboriginal women (co-hosted by Aboriginal agency)
_ Advocate for young aboriginal women to be represented at City policy and planning initiatives
_ Push for funding for implementation of the Vancouver Agreement (Feds and Province).
Drug Treatment
_ Establish Women's Advisory Committee within the 4 Pillars Strategy
o gender awareness education
o services for aboriginal women
o services for young women and girls
o longer term treatment for women and girls
_ WTF meet with Vancouver Coastal Health to advocate for harm reduction and treatment for women and girls
Safer Cities for Women
_ Conduct a workshop on world wide best practises for application in Vancouver (from World Urban Forum this fall) involving a facilitator, WTF members, City staff, International Centre for Sustainable Cities
_ Develop safety action plan for federal infrastructure funding and "New Deal for Cities Initiative"
_ Establish a women's caucus for 2006 World Urban Forum (in Vancouver)
Support women working in the sex trade
_ Host a workshop with street worker organizations (PACE, WISH, PEERS), to determine ways in which WTF can support/empower women in the sex trade
_ Mobilize support for 24/7 shelter and expanded services (funding, linkages to other organizations, public education)
_ Seek direct advice from MP Libby Davies about how we can help move the federal task force on solicitation forward
Women-friendly transit
_ Explore setting up a Women's Advisory Committee at Translink to figure out how to do all of the actions below:
o increase women's safety by policy of let women off at request [at night]
o Introduce "Family card" [like "student card"] linked to social housing or just at weekends
o Lower fares for all users of Translink
o Increase low-floor buses to increase accessibility for women with children/seniors
o All-night bus services
Funding/support women's services and programs
_ increase community services grant budget
o establish women's funding envelope under above
o provide core $ for women's organizations from above fund
_ examine feasibility of establishing a women's building for women's organizations
o WTF to establish a working group of women's organizations to explore the opportunities for establishing building
Expand Childcare
_ Lobby to ensure that the Federal Government lives up to its campaign promises
_ Put pressure on provincial government to reinstate subsidies to low-income families
_ Put pressure on the Province to re-instate the wage top up for childcare staff.
_ Support Child Care Council's target of increasing child care spaces by 5%
_ Hold a meeting to ask existing child care lobby what task force can do to be most effective
Housing
_ Showcasing (housing for) women and children as an OLYMPICS social justice theme
_ Enshrine social housing for women and children in the social housing equation for Olympics housing, i.e. "name" it, not just "families".
_ Encourage the Province to reinstate prioritizing women from transition houses for BC Housing
_ Select sponsors that give priority to women and children, low income and senior women
_ Convince city planners social housing be better connected to community services, transportation etc.
_ Lobby federal government to get back into social housing business
Community Education
_ Recommend to School Board to develop women's studies programs for schools at intermediate and secondary grades
_ City actively develop ways to promote women's issues via already existing events/activities in community e.g. International Women's Day, Women's History Month
Employment
_ Coordinate women's support programs re: employment.
_ Expand economic development and employment strategies for women
Appendix C: Gender Equality tools in action
The following examples illustrate the potential usefulness of gender-based analysis in policy development and implementation.
1. City Self-Evaluation - How Women-Friendly is Your City?
Political Structures Mechanisms and Resources |
Yes/No |
National laws on women's rights and gender equality |
|
National laws on gender quotas or parity at the municipal level |
|
Affirmative action policies in municipal political parties |
|
Parity in committees commissions and para-municipal enterprises |
|
Network of elected women representatives |
|
Council-adopted policy on gender equality (developed through public consultation and carried out via annual municipal plan of action) |
|
Public consultation policies with mechanisms to encourage women's participation |
|
Policies and commitments to fight violence against women and increase their safety |
|
Gender perspective in all programs (including annual municipal budget and sectoral budgets) |
|
Support of national and international municipal associations (training, networking etc.) |
|
Administrative Structures Mechanisms and Resources |
Yes/No |
Gender Equality/Women's Office (with adequate human resources and budget) within central administration in charge of gender mainstreaming |
|
Annual gender equality action plan (with specific goals indicators budget) |
|
Training in gender mainstreaming (for elected officials and staff, men and women) |
|
Access to gender-disaggregated data on all urban issues |
|
Gender impact assessment of urban policies programs and service delivery |
|
Equal opportunity program for hiring (with specific targets for different types of jobs) |
|
Information service in boroughs, neighbourhoods or districts |
|
Process to handle citizen requests and complaints from women and men |
|
Participation and Partnership Structures and Mechanisms |
Yes/No |
Women's advisory council commission or committee within council to monitor implementation of gender equality policy |
|
Thematic council commissions (with public hearings) |
|
Public consultation process in boroughs, neighbourhoods or districts |
|
Public consultation process with specific mechanisms to encourage women's participation |
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"Women" advisory councils in the boroughs, neighbourhoods or districts |
|
City-wide civic education campaigns |
|
Projects and activities improving women's access to services and resources (e.g. walking safety audits, Local-to-Local Dialogues between men and women, elected officials and women's groups) |
|
Permanent partnership committees on specific issues (safety transportation housing) bringing together women's groups, community organizations and other public stakeholders, men and women |
|
Regular city-wide public assemblies as well as at the borough, neighbourhood and district level |
|
Total |
Results of Your City's Evaluation
How many of these 27 optimal gender-equality and good-governance measures are already in place in your municipality?
_ If you checked YES to between 0 and 7 items, you need to get cracking and study what other cities are doing.
_ You're on the right road if YES was your answer to between 8 and 16 items. Keep up the good work.
_ YES was your answer to between 17 and 27 items? Congratulations! But please don't rest on your laurels.
Source: Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the City of Montreal Femmes et ville Program (2004) A City Tailored to Women - The Role of Municipal Governments in Achieving Gender Equality
2. Gender Lens Tools
In response to statutory requirements that all local governments within the European Union conduct gender mainstreaming, the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) in the UK developed a resource kit on Gender Equality and Plan Making. Gender mainstreaming is the process of explicitly incorporating a consideration of gender into all stages of project, program and policy development, implementation and evaluation. In this process, a gender equality perspective - an analysis of the effects on women and men, girls and boys - is considered at all levels of decision-making.The resource kit shows how to incorporate a consideration of gender into planning and is based on a series of questions that can be used at any stage of the plan making process; it can be modified for program or policy development. For more information about the toolkit and RTPI see the website: www.rtpi.org.uk
1. What are the different experiences and roles of women and men and/or boys and girls, which might affect:
a. The issues and problems which need to be addressed by the plan (program, policy, activity)
b. How women and men might benefit from a policy proposal
c. How the policy or proposal is implemented
2. What are the implications of these differences between women and men?
3. What are the implications for planning (program) policy?
4. What policy recommendations would help ensure gender equality?
5. Who will assume responsibility for implementation?
6. How will success be measured?
3. Gender Lens Tool in Action
The following is an illustration of how the City of Cambridge (UK) applied the simple tool above to a request for rezoning from a company that wanted to relocate an office from a downtown site to a site in an outlying area.
1. What are the different experiences and roles of women and men and boys and girls, which might affect:
a. The issues and problems which need to be addressed by the plan
b. How women and men might benefit from a policy proposal
c. How the policy or proposal is implemented
Relevant statistics:
_ 60% of office workers are currently women
_ 80% of public transport users are female
_ 30% of women have daytime use of a car
Other relevant data from surveys:
Surveys show that women have a need for more support facilities and more predictable journey times. What do women and men's organizations say about the proposals?
2. What are the gender implications?
An out of town office development would disadvantage those without a car, the majority of whom are women. It is also likely to make it more difficult for those with caring responsibilities (the majority of whom are women) to combine a number of different journeys in the normal day.
3. What are the implications for office development policy?
An office development policy needs to take account of how potential employees will get
to work. A new out-of-town scheme would act as a magnet for further development and thus heighten the potential gender bias created by the policy.
4. What policy recommendations would be necessary to ensure gender equality?
A policy needs to be developed, which will ensure that women and men can both access new jobs. This may mean ensuring that public transport policies are put in place alongside the land-use allocations. If this cannot be achieved, then this kind of policy may need to be reconsidered and new office development concentrated around existing public transport hubs.
5. Who will be responsible for implementing the policy?
Local Planning Authority / Developer.
6. How will success be measured?
A good gender balance of employees commuting to different work locations. An increased use in public transport (and reduction in car use). Inclusion of on-site crèche facilities / nursery (or located near by).
4. The City of London's Gender Equality Scheme
The Greater London Authority's (GLA) "Gender Equality Scheme" (March 2003) is a document that outlines the gender equality vision, and the methods that the GLA uses now, and will use in the future to ensure it promotes gender equality. It outlines priorities for action, work planned for the year (the Gender Equality Action Plan) and the work already carried out. The document covers work that is done solely by the Greater London Authority as well as that done in partnership with four other bodies (Transport for London, the metropolitan Police Authority, the London Development Agency and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority). The GLA intends to develop annual gender equality action plans after 2004 and to revise and develop the Gender Equality Scheme.
Their vision:
We will be a champion for gender equality and a leader in:
_ Promoting gender equality so that women and men who live or work in London can enjoy their full human, social and political rights free from discrimination.
_ Challenging and eradicating sex discrimination.
_ Providing responsive and accessible services for all Londoners.
_ Embracing London's diversity as a source of strength and opportunity for London.
_ Addressing the issues of gender equality in the mainstream of the Mayor's policies.
_ Ensuring our workforce reflects the diverse population of London and encouraging exemplary employment practices in the public, private and voluntary sector across London, including equal pay audits.
See more at www.london.gov.uk
Appendix D: Summary Responsibilities of the Consultant
Consultant |
Responsibility |
Facilitation |
_ Organize and facilitate full meetings of the Women's Task Force between January and July 2005
|
Liaison |
_ Liaise between staff and members of the Women's Task Force |
Research |
_ Conduct and present research on best practices as per Women's Task Force requirements. |
Support |
_ Provide administrative support to the Women's Task Force between January and July 2005 |
Report Writing |
_ Provide content for Final Report of the Women's Task Force to City Council July 2005. |
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