Family Services and Labour Minister Jennifer Howard, minister responsible for the status of women (third from right) welcomed five dynamic speakers who presented their views on the importance of mentorship and women as role models at the celebration of Women’s History Month.

(l to r ) Shelley Hart, Janice Ristock, Ariana Yaftali, Minister Jennifer Howard, Jenna Wirch, Alana Gauthier)

October 3, 2012

MENTORS' KNOWLEDGE SEED TO SUCCEED: HOWARD

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Province Celebrates Women's History Month

Women’s History Month 2012 focuses on the importance of mentors and role models who empower others through their work and help young women plan and accomplish success in their lives, Family Services and Labour Minister Jennifer Howard, minister responsible for the status of women said today.
“This year, we are honouring women in our province who act as role models and mentors,” said Howard.  “The knowledge they have accumulated is the seed they plant for the success of others.  Knowledge gained first-hand through a lifetime of experience is a gift that grows in value each time it is shared.”
Five speakers at a special event to be held today at noon at the Legislative Building will speak about their experiences with mentoring, how female mentors have helped them and will offer words of advice to inspire young women in the province.  Each of today’s speakers is an outstanding Manitoba woman with a unique view on the benefits of mentoring and an exceptional role model for others, said Howard.
The success of each of these women serves to inspire and encourage others to follow in their footsteps, make a difference and discover the value of mentoring the next generation in their own communities, the minister said.
“It is gratifying to meet so many valuable role models and mentors who work to encourage and nurture other young women in our province,” said Howard.  “Role models and mentors can be found in all areas of our province, in rural, urban and northern communities and across a wide number of fields from business and social services to academia, to name just a few.  We applaud their generosity in sharing their wisdom.”
Women’s History Month is held nationally in October to celebrate the advances and contributions of women in all aspects of Canadian society.  This annual event provides an opportunity to recognize the many achievements of women in Manitoba and to reflect on the continuing evolution of women’s roles in today’s society, said the minister.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED

Cancer research - new findings

New findings in the development, treatment and categories of Breast cancer which is of interest to all women. The scientists have looked at thousands of women and appear to be getting a handle on the various ways cancer starts and what it looks like. Very interesting article

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/24/health/study-finds-variations-of-breast-cancer.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120924

Immigrant women come from many countries

The 2006 Census estimated that Canada’s 3.2 million immigrant women came from over 220 countries. The largest proportion of these immigrant women, 9%, reported the United Kingdom as their place of birth, followed by the People’s Republic of China (8%), India (7%) and the Philippines (5%).
Of the total female immigrant population, 18% landed recently between 2001 to 2006, coming mainly from Asia. Among recent immigrant women, the largest share came from the People’s Republic of China (15% or 84,700 individuals), followed by India (11% or 65,900 individuals) and the Philippines (8% or 43,700 individuals).
The source of Canada’s immigrants has shifted over the years. In 1971, Europe was the birthplace of 61% of recent immigrant women (Chart 4); by 2006, recent immigrant women came mainly from Asia and the Middle East (59%).
Also in 2006, there was a slight increase in the proportion of recent immigrant women who came from Central and South America and the Caribbean, 11% compared with 9% in 2001. The top three countries of birth of recent immigrant women from these regions were Colombia (2.3% or 13,200 individuals), Mexico (1.5% or 8,900) and Haiti (1.0% or 6,000).
Although relatively small, the proportion of recent immigrant women from Africa also increased slightly in 2006, to 10% compared with 8% in 2001. In comparison, women born in Africa who immigrated to Canada in the later part of the 1960s comprised only 3% of recent immigrants in 1971.
This shift in the source of immigration to Canada since the 1970s was due to a number of factors, such as changes in Canada’s immigration programs to build on social, humanitarian and economic goals and international events affecting the movements of migrants and refugees.

Immigrants cloak family violence

Immigrant women are more likely to suffer physical and psychological abuse by their partners and are less likely to report it, a new study suggests.
The Canadian Council on Social Development released the report Monday, marking International Women's Day.
A recent immigrant to Canada left says she left her husband because he was violent. "Meena" (not her real name) came to Canada from India in 2002. She says her husband is looking for her and she doesn't want to be found.

http://www.fcpp.org/files/1/Culturally-Driven%20Violence%20Against%20Women.pdf


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2004/03/08/immigrant_violence040308.html

Immigrant Women are fighting back

January 10, 2012 09:46 ET

Media Conference: Women of Toronto Say NO to Mayor Ford's War on Women and Children

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan. 10, 2012) - Toronto Women's City Alliance (TWCA), Good Jobs for All, the Steelworkers Women's Committee, Community Recreation for All, Immigrant Women's Health Centre, Women working with Immigrant Women, Newcomer Women's Services Toronto and the International Women's Day Committee representing the interests of women, immigrant women, workers, young people and children call for a halt to budget cuts.

When:	Wednesday, January 11th 2012, 11 a.m.
Where:	Colin Vaughan Media Lounge (rear of city hall ground floor)
	City Hall
	100 Queen St. West
	Toronto
Who:	Prabha Khosla, Toronto Women's City Alliance (chair)
	Venise Antoine, sole-support mother of two.
	Arabi, Rajeswaran, Rexdale Youth TTC Challenge Team
	Ayesha Adhmani, Immigrant Women's Health Centre
	Amy Katz, Community Recreation for All
	City Cleaner, CUPE
What:	Speakers will focus on how Mayor Ford's cuts to TTC bus and street car routes and fare increases; Priority Centers and recreation services; library hours; child care; community grants; and jobs at the city, will all reduce the quality of life of Toronto women and their families. They will be especially harmful to diverse low-income women and increase poverty in the city.

Contact Information

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  Toronto Women's City Alliance
  Prabha Khosla
  647-867-3363
  info@twca.ca

Immigrant women professional makeover

The Immigrant Women's Association of Calgary has opt the anti for immigrant women seeking jobs and have joined with "the closet"  to outfit immigrant women seeking that first job in Canada, with the right outfit to impress potential employees and to help women feel good about themselves and thereby improve their self-confidence.

The closet works with nonprofit organizations that helps low income women to provide gently used clothes suitable for office wear.

The Walk-in Closet is part of the free Making Changes program, which teaches low-income women, many new Canadians, how to find a job and put together a resume.
The "closet" is actually offices stocked with pants, shirts, shoes and jewelry. Women looking for work or starting a new job can pick four new or gently used outfits.

This is a great resource as finding good clothes even used clothes can something be too much for a woman without financial means to bear. The Closet also features an image consultant who are skilled in putting people in the clothes that bring out their best feature.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2010/02/25/calgary-women-immigrants-job-searching.html

Immigrant women's welfare threatened with cuts to services

LONDON (TrustLaw) – The UK government’s planned cuts to its legal aid scheme will severely disadvantage migrant and refugee women, who may lack knowledge of the UK legal system and family support or face language barriers, campaigners say.
The reforms, proposed by the government in November, would cut legal aid from civil areas including immigration, housing, employment and debt, unless a person’s life, home or freedom is at risk.
Lawyers and aid organisations argue the scheme’s harshest cuts since its 1949 inception will deny some half a million people justice.
“This is a major shift and poses a serious threat to fundamental
principles of equal access to justice,” Zrinka Bralo, executive director of the London-based Migrant and Refugee Communities Forum in London, told TrustLaw.
“Migrant and refugee women are disadvantaged because they may not speak English well enough, they do not know what support and protection is available to them, they may be traumatised and may not have support networks of family and friends.”
Under the proposals, private family law cases would be denied legal aid funding unless domestic violence was involved.
Nonetheless, migrant and refugee women who experience domestic violence will be disadvantaged because their immigration status is linked to that of their husbands, or claimed by their husbands, Bralo said
http://womennewsnetwork.net/2011/07/22/uk-plan-limits-immigrant-women/