Northwest Territories
Article 2 : Anti-Discrimination
Measures
- During the period of this report, there were several working
groups looking at the issues surrounding child support and the rights of women
and children in territorial legislation. The work of these groups lead to
significant changes in legislation which was drafted and tabled during the
reporting period, and brought into force in late 1998. This legislation
included the Family Law Act, Children's Law Act, Child and Family Services
Act and Adoption Act. One of the effects of this legislation was
to eliminate the distinction between women in common-law relationships and
married women in the areas of support, division of property and the
adoption.
Article 2 - Links to Convention and
other sections
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Article 3 : Measures to Ensure the
Advancement of Women
- During the reporting period, the Department of Health and
Social Services continued to provide financial support to women's shelters and
family violence prevention programs. Additional support was also provided by
facilitating tele-conferences, territorial meetings and training
opportunities.
- In 1995/96 funding was provided to the Status of Women Council
of the Northwest Territories (NWT) to develop Dark to Light: Regaining a
Caring Community workshop manuals. These plain language facilitation
guides for care givers were used in community workshops, with topics such as
spousal abuse, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, healthy relationships,
parenting skills and abusive men support groups.
- The Departments of Justice and Health and Social Services
funded the Status of Women Council of the NWT to produce six public service
announcements (PSA's) aimed at preventing abuse. The PSA's were entitled
There's No Excuse for Abuse. Topics included spousal assault, alcohol and
drug abuse, child abuse, sexual harassment, sexual assault and elder abuse. The
PSA's were translated into Aboriginal languages and shown on CBC North and
Television Northern Canada. They were also recorded on audio tape and
distributed to local radio stations.
- In 1995/96, Health Canada provided funding to the NWT Seniors'
Society for a series of televised PSAs for seniors, as well as elder abuse
workshops. The PSAs were produced in English and two Aboriginal languages and
were aimed at seniors in remote communities across the NWT. The workshops,
which focussed on elder women's rights and the identification forms of abuse,
were delivered in various communities across the NWT.
- In 1997, the Department of Health and Social Services provided
approximately $17,000 to produce a series of posters based on the theme A
World Without Abuse. This promotion against abuse was produced and
translated into all official languages of the NWT. These posters were widely
distributed across the North.
- The Status of Women Council for the NWT collaborated with the
Northern Women's Human Rights Committee in the production and distribution of
NWT women And Human Rights Fact Sheets (1997) and Human Rights for
All video (1998), to raise public awareness of human rights and the need
for improved human rights remedies in the NWT.
- The Status of Women Council annually produces and distributes
public information kits concerning Take Back the Night, the National Day of
Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, and International Women's
Day. The Council carries out activities to raise the profile of Northern women
and celebrate their accomplishments, including the Wise Woman Awards, which
honour women who are role models and advance the well-being of women and
families in their community. In 1998, the Council produced a two year calendar,
Honouring Our Women of the NWT, which included biographies,
photographs and testimonials from many NWT women.
Article 3 - Links to Convention and
other sections
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Article 4: Temporary Special
Measures
- During the reporting period, the number of women in
non-traditional roles in the public service remained constant at approximately
13 percent.
- In 1994, a pilot program which provided mentoring for women,
entitled Women in Transition, was concluded. During this same year, a
review of the Government's Affirmative Action Policy was commenced.
Article 4 - Links to Convention and
other sections
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Article 5: Elimination of
Stereotypes
- In 1994/95, the Department of Justice undertook several
projects to educate the public on the joint responsibility of parents to
support their children. These projects included the development of posters and
pamphlets as well as a comic book for use in high schools. These materials were
produced in three languages. The Department also produced a 28 minute video in
English and Inuktitut which addressed various child support
issues.
- During the reporting period, the Department of Justice
continued to collect and process child support payments though the Maintenance
Enforcement Program. In 1997, an additional Maintenance Enforcement Officer
position was created to assist with the growing number of child support files
being opened.
- In 1997, a Family/Civil Law Information Officer position was
created within the Department of Justice. The role of this position was to
identify the need for materials to explain the child support laws and court
process as well as to provide information to persons seeking assistance with
the civil justice system. A toll-free telephone line was put in place so that
persons could access information on child support free of charge.
Article 5 - Links to Convention and
other sections
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Article 7: Women in Politics and
Public Life
- During the reporting period, the number of women in management
in the NWT public service remained constant at about 27 percent, even though
there was a 16 percent reduction in the size of the public service.
- The Status of Women Council and the Native Women's Association
of the NWT collaborated for several years to ensure that women had input into
the development of a new constitution for the NWT. In 1994, this included a
women's constitutional conference. In 1995, a report entitled A global and
Western NWT Perspective on Guaranteed Representation Based on Gender
Equality was produced. In 1997, the Council and the National Inuit Women's
Association produced and distributed public education material on the proposed
gender parity proposal for the Nunavut Legislative Assembly.
Article 7 - Links to Convention and
other sections
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Article 10:
Education
- In 1994, the Status of Women Council and the Canadian Congress
for Learning - NWT released a report entitled Adolescent Girls in the NWT:
Academic Preparation and Career Planning, which addresses the attitudes
and participation of female students in math, science and related careers.
- In 1996/98, North of Sixty Women in Trades and Technology and
other organizations piloted Construction Technology for Women as a fully
accredited high school program to introduce female students to careers in
construction technology. This program has since become a regularly offered
course.
Article 10 - Links to Conventionand
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Article 12: Health
- In 1994/95, a three year project was concluded which saw
collaboration between the Department of Health and Social Services and the
Status of Women Council on issues related to women's health. These issues
included the use of Depo provera (a birth control drug) and the development of
a discussion paper entitled the Mental Health Problems and Needs of
Canadian Aboriginal Women and the Abortion Services Review Report. In the
second phase of the project, the partnership expanded to include the
Yellowknife YWCA, the Native Women's Association of the NWT and the Canadian
Cancer Society/NWT Unit. A wide variety of public health education materials
were produced during the two phases of the project. First phase materials
included pamphlets, videos, free condom kits and PSAs. The materials addressed
the issues of self esteem for adolescent women, a northern version of Yes
you Can on the prevention of breast and cervical cancer and a poster
promoting the use of traditional knowledge in pre-natal care.
- In 1997, a needs assessment report, Breast Cancer in the
NWT: the Voice of Survivors was produced by the Status of Women Council.
As well, a breast health manual for community health centres and booklets in 11
languages were produced.
- In 1994, after regional consultation and consultation with
women's groups, the Department of Health and Social Services provided funding
to produce a variety of promotional material including pamphlets, a video and
PSAs as part of the NWT Women's Health Project. While the promotional materials
were aimed at all women, special attention was given to reaching women aged 15
to 25 regarding sexually transmitted diseases. The materials were produced in
three languages.
- In February 1997, routine pre-natal screening for HIV/AIDS
became policy as part of a comprehensive prevention strategy. With the support
of NWT physicians, the Government of the NWT has promoted an "opt out" strategy
to HIV/AIDS screening. This means that women are automatically screened, unless
they indicated that they do not want to be. This approach was adopted to
prevent pre-natal transmissions and better diagnose existing infection.
- In February 1998, HIV/AIDS workshops were held in the Women's
Correctional Centre in Fort Smith and the Baffin Correctional Centre in
Iqaluit. The workshops, in both English and Inuktitut, reinforced harm
reduction messages and a peer counseling approach.
Article 12 - Links to Convention and
other sections
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