End violence against women: postcard campaign
December 6 this year marks the 20th anniversary of the 1989 Montréal massacre of 14 young women at the École Polytechnique.
Violence against women is still pervasive, and is rooted in social inequality. HSA members working in transition houses all across BC tell us that violence against women occurs at home and at work.
Women living in violent situations often do not have the financial resources to leave ... compounded by low minimum wage, continued cuts to social assistance, and funding cuts for womens services and shelters.
To help commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Montréal massacre, the Canadian Labour Congress has developed a postcard campaign. A set of 20 different postcards highlight different measures that governments could implement to increase the safety and security of women to help eliminate violence against women.
The postcards focus on various areas of action, such as:
- funding for womens services, shelters, and organizations
- pay equity, employment insurance, social assistance, minimum wage, pensions
- housing, education, child care
- Aboriginal women, young women, women with disabilities
- violence in the workplace, good jobs, public services
The Canadian Labour Congress will launch the postcard campaign on November 16, and encourage activists to send one postcard a day to the Prime Minister for the 20 days leading up to December 6. (Postage is free to the Prime Ministers office.) A scan is attached, displaying a sample of the cards.
Through the unions Committee on Equality and Social Action, the Health Sciences Association is distributing sets of cards to members working at transition houses and womens organizations. The cards are also available to all members by request.
To obtain a set of postcards, contact Yukie Kurahashi at @email or 604.439.0994 (Lower Mainland) or 1.800/663.2017 (toll free in BC).