Women's center AGM Monday
Cariboo Press - Williams Lake Tribune
January 16, 2009

Mayor Kerry Cook will be the guest speaker for the Women's Contact Society's annual general meeting coming up on Monday, Jan. 19.

Cook will talk on the theme Women in Politics….

"Occasionally, people ask me why do we need women's centres anymore," says executive director Irene Willsie. "It is true that in the past century women have made great progress towards equality.

However, there is still work to be done. “Nationally and provincially women occupy far less than 50 per cent of elected government seats."

"This past November our community elected a gender balanced city council; this is not the norm in our country," Willsie says. "Many occupations that are primarily held by women such as child care providers are very low paid. “These are just two examples of where there is work to be done."...

The Women's Contact Society exists "to promote social awareness of women's issues and to change ideas, laws, and situations which deny equality to women," says its mission statement….