International Women’s Day 2023: Progressing towards equality

International Women’s Day (IWD) is an annual day that acknowledges and celebrates the extraordinary women in our lives and around the world. Today also acts as an opportunity for us to reflect on the progress that has been made since IWD 2022 in the march towards a more equitable future for women.

For those who may not know, the majority of ACFO-ACAF members are women, and as a result, we’re especially mindful of the issues that disproportionately affect women, trans and non-binary people in the workplace. Women are the backbone of our society and workforce, and we need to ensure that governments and organizations continue progressing towards a more equitable future for women.

Year after year, pay equity continues to be one of our biggest priorities here at ACFO-ACAF. With a dedicated team, led by our Director of Job Evaluation and Pay Equity, Stéphanie Rochon Perras, we have been able to make good progress on our ongoing pay equity study. Further to the update provided in February, ACFO-ACAF continues to be proactively engaged with Treasury Board Secretariat and NAV Canada as they work towards developing a Pay Equity Plan prior to the September 2024 deadline. Following new legislation, employers are required to develop Pay Equity Plans to ensure that compensation practices provide for pay equity. This Pay Equity Plan is still in the beginning stages, but we will continue to provide updates to our members throughout the process. 

In recognition of International Women’s Day and taking action to further support women in the workplace, ACFO-ACFO will be hosting an EDI Learning Series session titled Domestic Violence and the Workplace on Monday, March 20, from 12pm – 1pm ET on Microsoft Teams. This session will shed light on the ways in which domestic violence can have an impact on work performance, as well as strategies for how you can recognize the signs your colleagues have been affected.

While we can all acknowledge that there is plenty of work left to do in our battle for a more equitable future for women, today is a day to celebrate our past successes that have brought us to where we are today, and to think about where we want to be by this time next year. On International Women’s Day 2023, we’re celebrating all of the amazing, hardworking women who work in the CT Community. Thank you for all that you do, and happy #IWD2023!

More Information

Interested in learning more about how you can further support the women in your life and champion gender equality? Check out the links below:

• Native Women’s Association of Canada
• A Guide to Women in Canadian History
• Women and Gender Equality Canada
• UN Women
• Canadian Women’s Foundation