B.C. gets failing grades for treatment of women: Provincial government fails to live up to standards set by United Nations, LEAF says
By Denise Ryan
Vancouver Sun
October 18, 2010

B.C. has received poor marks, including two Fs, on a report card measuring its treatment of women, says a report being released today by the West Coast Women's Legal Education and Action Fund.

The report card measures the compliance of the B.C. government with the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, (which enshrines protections for women in international human rights law) to which Canada is a signatory.

"In a nutshell, British Columbia is not living up to its expectations under the treaty," said Alison Brewin, executive director of LEAF.

The province gets an F in the social assistance category, for "cuts to services for social assistance recipients" that continue to target marginalized women.

Another F goes to access to justice, for continued cuts to services that provide equal access to justice for women….

LEAF uses statistics, academic reports, government reports and research and consultation with community groups across the province to compile its report card.

"This report tells us that if you look at international standards and expectations around these issues, B.C. is not measuring up," said Brewin….

The poor report card shows that women still are not getting equal benefits and treatment under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, said Brewin….