B.C. lags behind on rights
October 24, 2008
By Irwin Loy, 24 HOURS

High poverty rates and a dwindling safety net mean B.C. women have taken a step back, local organizations told a UN committee this week.

A coalition of women's groups is making its case before the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in Geneva, Switzerland this week.

"B.C. has higher poverty rates for women than is true in other areas of Canada," said Margot Young, an associate prof at UBC's faculty of law.

"You're much more likely to live in poverty here than women in other areas of Canada."

The UN committee reports on the progress of countries, including Canada, that have signed on to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Canada's last report was in 2003, an assessment that praised Canada but questioned decisions by B.C. to scrap the Human Rights Commission and the former Ministry of Women's Equality.

Those questions still remain, says Young.

"For a province that's been posting surplus budgets year after year to continue to leave unaddressed the acute misery represented by these people living in poverty is unacceptable," she said.