Karen Hunter believes there will always be a need for International Women’s Day but hopes the focus will continue to evolve.
Hunter, the executive director of the Chatham-Kent Women’s Centre (CKWC), said the day is meant to be a celebration of those who’ve gone before.
“I think we always need to remember and to celebrate the women who have gone before us for equal rights and justice,” she said. “Someday I hope we can celebrate that we no longer need a women’s shelter.”
International Women’s Day began as a way to commemorate the New York garment workers strike of 1909 in which 20,000 women protested poor working conditions and wages.
The movement helped the cause of women’s rights as within a few years, Manitoba became the first Canadian province to grant women the right to vote in provincial elections.
In 1945, The Chapter of the United Nations was signed which was the first international agreement to affirm the principle of equality between men and women.
It was also the day in 1978 that the Chatham-Kent Women’s Centre first opened its doors.
“Since that first day, over 10,000 women and children have received safe shelter, counselling services and hope from dedicated and compassionate staff, volunteers and board of directors who have worked tirelessly to end violence against women, children and men in the communities of Chatham-Kent,” Hunter said in her address.
CKWC board chair Darlene Smith said the day is about “supporting women, celebrating women and showing it’s ok to celebrate each other.”
Helen Heath of the Chatham-Kent Women’s Leadership Council said the idea of gender quality, the 2016 theme of International Women’s Day, fits in with her group’s beliefs.
“A recent published article indicated that women are still paid considerably less than their male counterparts in the workforce, and that number is declining instead of getting better and that’s concerning. We want to raise the profile of equity and equality for women in the workforce.”
“It’s not a misogynistic world; or it should not be. Women are at the root of our community and we need to help lift women out of poverty. Studies show when you lift a woman out of poverty and help her to succeed, her family and her community succeed as well.”
She said the local WLC is the first of its kind in Canada as part of the United Way. It was founded nine years ago and currently has a membership of 95 women.
