In 2023, Why Does International Women’s Day (IWD) Matter?
Because we’re not there yet. It’s time to accelerate the conversation and action for gender equality.
The Canadian government has declared that the theme for IWD 2023 is Every Woman Counts. It’s a reminder that all women, from all ages and walks of life, have a place in every aspect of Canadian society, including in economic, social and democratic areas.
Today, we encourage you to celebrate women's achievement, raise awareness about inequity, and take action to drive gender parity.
Included in today's special issue of Chamber Update, we share some of the achievements of local women, a few recent examples of the Chamber's advocacy for gender parity, and how you can support International Women's Day 2023.
Celebrating the Achievements of Local Women
We’re proud to have the opportunity to work with and support the hundreds of women leaders and entrepreneurs within our chamber network! We appreciate the work that you do, and the impact you make to the business and greater Hamilton community.
We would also like to take a moment to celebrate the female leaders at the Hamilton Chamber. Last year, our very own Marie Nash, served as the first female CEO of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. Further, our Board Chair, Jamie Lickers,is the first female Indigenous chair of a chamber of commerce in Ontario. We are also proud of the work of our passionate staff and board that is gender balanced.
Hamilton has also recently elected its first female mayor, the Honourable Andrea Horwath.
To learn more about the achievements of Canadian women, please explore:
On Thursday, March 2, the Hamilton Chamber attended the YWCA Hamilton's annual Women of Distinction Awards Gala where more than 1,100 guests gathered to honour 65 women and girls nominated for their efforts to lead, empower others and make Hamilton a more equitable place.
Awards were presented to local trailblazers in our community and those who have made real impact in the lives of others.
Educating and Raising Awareness for Women’s Equality
Recognizing the gender disparities that the COVID-19 pandemic was having on our local labour market, the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce conducted a study in 2021 that heard from nearly 1,600 self-identified Hamilton women.
The Women out of Work studyidentifies key barriers to entry and sustained participation, assesses the impact of the pandemic on key female-dominated sectors, and concludes with a series of tangible policy recommendations to help foster an equitable and inclusive Hamilton recovery.
"Women Out of Work as a document has been a roadmap for me as a legislator, to really inform, with evidence-based research, what is happening on the ground here." - The Honourable Matthew Green, MP Hamilton Centre
Lobbying for Accelerated Gender Parity
The Hamilton Chamber actively works together with our provincial and federal counterparts to lobby for accelerated gender parity. Here are a few policy wins we achieved in 2022-23 and ways we advocate for and support the economic participation of local women:
Our provincial policy resolution, “Supporting the Further Professionalization of Ontario Childcare and Early Childhood Education,” passed at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce AGM in 2022 following careful consultation with dozens of local childcare and early childhood education providers;
We hosted Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, Charmaine A. Williams, for a 2023 Ontario Pre-Budget Consultation with two dozen women leaders from the Hamilton community to discuss social and economic issues affecting women in our community;
We have conducted direct advocacy and engagement at the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government to advance policy recommendations contained within our 2021 Women Out of Work Study, including signing on to Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Plan, pursuing paid sick leave legislation, and championing living wage policies;
Endorsed and pursued advocacy consistent with the recommendations contained within the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s 2021 report, “The She-covery Project: Confronting the Gendered Economics Impacts of COVID-19 in Ontario”;
Developed and provided free human resources guidance to employers on developing and implementing inclusive workplace policies that enable greater economic participation through our Now Hiring Hamilton Project in partnership with Mohawk College;
Support the advancement of various government interventions such as the Investing in Women’s Future’s Program to support accessible and targeted skills development training for women across all sectors of economy;
Achieved gender parity on the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce’s Policy & Advocacy Committee (PAC) that is comprised of leading local governmental relations professionals.
For more information on these initiatives or to get involved, contact our Policy & Government Relations Advisor, Paul Szachlewicz.
Supporting Local Women & Girls
There are many ways to support the women within our community. In addition to shopping local and supporting women-owned businesses, we encourage you to consider making a donation to a local charity that champions women’s support.
A few to consider include:
Dress for Success works to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.
Girl Guides of Ontario is a catalyst for girls empowering girls. They provide girls age 5-17 with the opportunity to try new experiences, challenge themselves and build their confidence, all within a safe environment.
Interval House of Hamilton provides emergency shelter, safety planning and support services for women with or without children that have experienced abuse or violence.
Nisa Homes is the 1st Muslim women’s shelter in Hamilton. It is a place of safety, security & new beginnings for women, with or without children, who are fleeing abuse, experiencing homelessness, or seeking refuge in Canada.
Women4Change is a collective giving initiative that’s open to all who share a passion for improving the lives of women and girls in Hamilton. Operated by the Hamilton Community Foundation, W4C has granted over $434,445 to 40 female-focused projects.
YWCA Hamilton has a long tradition of advocacy in Hamilton Ontario and has been a strong voice, advocating for the improved status of women locally, nationally, and internationally.
Event: The Women's Network Annual Summit
The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce is a proud sponsor of the Women’s Network and its Women’s Professional Summit: Emerge 2023 happening TOMORROW!
This year’s summit theme, EMERGE, focuses on supporting and inspiring women as they move to a proactive state and into a mindset where they are moving the needle on achieving their personal and professional goals.
The Hamilton Chamber is pleased to offer a discount on tickets using code: WPS2023XHCOC
Get your tickets & learn more about the speaker lineup at womensnetwork.ca
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