Parliamentary Secretary Susan Truppe Celebrates International Day of the Girl

OTTAWA, Oct. 11, 2013 /CNW/ - On behalf of the Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, Susan Truppe, Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women, today delivered remarks at the United Nations Association in Canada's celebration of International Day of the Girl.

"I encourage all Canadians to celebrate International Day of the Girl by being inspired by girls who are blazing new trails across Canada and around the world," said Minister Leitch. "This day helps promote equal treatment and opportunities for girls worldwide, in areas such as law, nutrition, health care and education."

"Providing support for girls and their basic human rights will help build healthy communities in Canada and around the world," said Ms. Truppe. "Our government is committed to improving the lives of all girls and women through initiatives that support their health, nutrition, education, and safety, from infancy to adolescence and into young adulthood."

On March 24, 2011, the House of Commons gave its unanimous support to Canada to lead a campaign at the United Nations to designate an International Day of the Girl. Canada led the international community to advocate for this initiative, which the UN General Assembly formally adopted on December 19, 2011. The first International Day of the Girl was commemorated across the world in 2012.

Canadians are encouraged to take an active role in celebrating International Day of the Girl. Activities are taking place across the country. They can attend these events, organize their own or send this International Day of the Girl e-postcard to celebrate the girls and young women in their communities. For more information on International Day of the Girl, please visit www.dayofthegirl.gc.ca.

Backgrounder

Women's History Month

Since 1992, the Government of Canada has designated October as Women's History Month to celebrate the contributions of women, past and present, who have helped shape our nation.

The theme for Women's History Month 2013 is Canadian Women Pioneers: Inspiring Change Through Ongoing Leadership. Throughout the month of October, the Government of Canada will highlight women's participation and leadership in various fields, including science and technology, engineering and trades, business and entrepreneurs, natural resources, medicine and medical research.

International Day of the Girl

International Day of the Girl is celebrated each year on October 11^th, and in Canada, this day also forms part of the Government of Canada's celebrations for Women's History Month.

International Day of the Girl promotes equal treatment, and freedom from violence and abuse, for girls around the world. It also promotes equal opportunities for girls worldwide in areas such as law, nutrition, health care, and education.

Persons Day

Persons Day is celebrated annually on October 18^th, during Women's History Month. This day marks a pivotal moment in Canadian history when, on October 18, 1929, women were first included in the legal definition of "persons" in Canada. It was a turning point in the quest for equal rights.

The Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case were created in 1979 to mark the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking Persons Case, which changed the course of history for women in Canada. Each year, five recipients are chosen from across Canada. Two are from the youth category (15 to 30 years of age). Recipients of these Awards continue the tradition of courage, integrity and hard work that the Famous Five of the Persons Case inspired.

Facts and Statistics for Women's History Month 2013

• Since 1991, women have represented a majority of university graduates in Canada. Of the 242,000 university students who graduated in 2007, 61% were women.
• There has been steady growth in labour force participation among women with young children. In 2009, 64.4% of women with children under the age of 3 were employed, more than double the proportion of 27.6% in 1976.
• Women represent 47.5% of the Canadian workforce, yet remain under-represented in sectors such as the skilled trades and science and technology.
• In 2012, women held just 11.8% of construction jobs, 19% of forestry, fishing, mining, oil and gas jobs, and 30.5% of agricultural jobs.
• In the information technology professions, women maintained the same 25% of jobs from 2000 to 2010, despite increasing demands for these skills.
• In 2007, despite representing 3.0% of enrolments in the electrical, electronic and related trades, only 1.5% of all graduates from these programs were women.
• In 2009, women made up only 2.2% of registered apprenticeship completions in the building construction, electrical, industrial and mechanical, metal fabrication, and motor vehicle and heavy equipment trades; and only 6.9% overall working in trades, transport, equipment operations and related occupations - representing the largest currently-untapped human resource to meet these occupational needs.

For more information on Women's History Month and commemorative dates, please visit women.gc.ca.

SOURCE: Status of Women Canada