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Women’s Empowerment Standing Committee Chair: Doris Hall
The IDEAS4GE – COVID-19 Feminist Response and Recovery Project is designed to leverage the heightened awareness and societal sensitivity to how gender and intersectional factors have disproportionately impacted Canadian women throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
Our official project title is – “Strategic partnerships for a COVID-19 response to promote the full participation and economic recovery for women” and will implement our IDEAS for Gender Equality strategy to integrate Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access Solutions into the Canadian workplace, marketplace and community.
It recognizes the importance of ensuring that the individual experiences and unique needs of all Canadian women in all their diversity are included in the post-COVID-19 recovery plans of key stakeholders. The project uses an intentional inclusive outreach and engagement strategy to build capacity for informed intersectional gender-based equality and solution-building by Canadian businesses, community organizations and government stakeholders. It acknowledges that it will take collaborative multi-stakeholder partnerships to address the systemic vulnerabilities and gender-based bias and inequities highlighted by the pandemic. In addition, the project’s gender equality innovation challenge will spark a variety of innovative IDEAS – for Inclusion, Diversity, Equality, Access, and Solutions in Canada’s workplace, marketplace and communities.
To learn more about the IDEAS4GE Project
BPW Members are invited to Log In to the Members Section to learn how members and clubs can support and benefit from participating in project initiatives.
Topics explored on the members’ page include the following and more…
The Canadian Coalition to Empower Women spearheaded by BPW Canada exists to advance gender equality and the economic empowerment of women in all their rich diversity and genders; by reimagining how an inclusive intersectional approach and collaborative partnerships can sustain strong economies, build accessible and equitable societies to improve the quality of life for all Canadians and their families in communities across Canada.
Our Goal
Grounded in fundamental values of inclusion, diversity, equity and access, and supporting local grassroots change makers to leverage a number of emerging National initiatives such as the IDEAS4GenderEquality and the 50 – 30 Challenge and the universal guidance of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and empowerwomen.org online platform, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Generation Equality Action Coalitions (GEF)
We Commit to:
BPW Canada is a proud supporter of the 50 – 30 Challenge. This national initiative will support diversity actions already taking place in many Canadian organizations and encourage other Canadian organizations to adopt practices to improve equity.
All Canadian organizations are encouraged to sign on to the Challenge by filling in the 50 – 30 Challenge form.
The 50 – 30 Challenge team, ecosystem partners and KPMG Canada joined forces with the IDEAS4GE Team to support the 1st IDEAS4GE community Building Event and worked in collaboration to create the IDEAS4GE and 50 – 30 What Works Tool Kit resources.
The Canadian Coalition to Empower Women (CCEW) and the Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW Canada) IDEAS4GE Initiative is a recognized Generation Equality Commitment Maker. Our project work is most closely associated with three of the six GE action coalitions.
The above noted action coalitions and the three additional action coalitions (Gender-based Violence, Bodily Autonomy and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, and Feminist Action for Climate Justice), are deeply rooted in the BPW Canada ongoing resolution, commendation, briefs, petitions and consultation work led by the BPW Canada Resolution and By-laws and Public Affairs Chair and committee.
As a global champion for women and girls, UN Women stands at the center of mobilizing governments and civil society to keep the promises of the Beijing Platform for Action to all of society. The Generation Equality Forum and ongoing work presents the opportunity to bring together change makers of all ages and genders, from all over the world to tackle the unfinished business of empowering women, leaving no one behind. Member States, civil society, private sector and the UN entities are invited to join efforts with UN Women and to contribute to this historic moment.
Learn more about how the Generation Equality global movement is advancing gender equality through local action.
The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of Principles for businesses that offer guidance on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community.
BPW Canada supports the UN Women and UN Global Compact Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and encourages the awareness, promotion and integration of the Women’s Empowerment Principles into all aspects of Canadian life; including small business, all levels of government and civil society.
Women’s Empowerment remains a top organizational priority and we invite all stakeholders in Canada to demonstrate their support for the WEPs and encourage business leaders to implement them to demonstrate their commitment to gender equality in Canada.
BPW Canada’s WEP’s Profile
How Can Stakeholders use the Seven Women’s Empowerment Principles?
While designed as a tool for the private sector to strengthen company policies and programs to create a culture that can achieve gender equality, the Principles provide a platform for all stakeholders to advance their commitment to gender equality. Together we can create a Canada where women’s economic capacity is unleashed and where women are fully engaged in positions of leadership and strategic decision-making. In addition to being a useful guide for business, the Principles seek to inform other stakeholders, including governments, and civil society in their engagement with the private sector. See resources specific to each of the three stakeholder groups on the Canadian Coalition to Empower Women Resource page.
The Seven Principles:
The #WeCommit campaign is a call-to-action for private sector companies of all sizes, enterprises, and employer organizations, stock exchanges, pension funds, and wealth management funds with the aim to sign and/or deepen the implementation of the Women’s Empowerment Principles.
The Canadian Coalition to Empower Women and BPW Canada supports the WEPs as a foundation to build partnerships across Canada to promote cooperation & solidarity in creating a better post-COVID-19 normal. The time is now to bring solutions to the table and secure a sustainable future for all by ensuring current and future work is built on principles of inclusivity, equality, and social justice.
Check out the #WECommit resources below to assist your journey. If you are a prospective WEPs signatory, already a WEPs signatory or an Ally, check out the #WeCommit Welcome Kit to get more tips and materials to get you started in communicating about the WEPs and calling for more commitments!
BPW Canada is a founding member spearheaded and continues to be in partnership with CCEW.
View Now on Youtube
April 24, 2021: BPW Canada partnered with the Canadian Coalition to Empower Women (CCEW) and BPW UK in a webinar: Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) In a Post-COVID World. BPW Canada members, Doris Hall (BPW London and BPW Canada WEPs Chair) and Sheila Crook (BPW Bowmanville and BPW Canada Women’s Empowerment Coach) were the featured presenters.
August 31, 2020 BPW International/UN Women WEPs team webinar: “The Women’s Empowerment Principles: A Transformational Framework to Support Women’s Entrepreneurship“. Featured BPW Canada’s President, Linda Davis and BPW Canada’s WEPs Implementation Coach, Sheila Crook.
