The following is being distributed at the request of Human Rights Commission:

The Human Rights Commission met for its fall meeting in St. John's on September 11 and 12, 1997. Fifteen complaints were dealt with. Of these seven were dismissed, one was withdrawn by the complainant, settlement was approved for four and three were recommended for a public hearing by a Board of Inquiry. The three complaints recommended for a Board of Inquiry were a woman who alleged she was sexually harassed in the workplace; a woman who claimed her daughter was denied admission to a young people's organization because of her gender; and a woman who claims she was injured while on picket duty and ordered to rest by her doctor and then was denied strike pay by her union as a result of not doing picket duty.

The commission reviewed recommendations, it plans to make to government for amendments to the Human Rights Code. It is hoped to present these recommendations to the public through a news conference to be held on December 10, 1997, International Human Rights Day. The commission discussed preliminary plans for the celebration next year of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations. Details on this celebration will be released after they have been finalized.

Contact:

Gladys Vivian
Executive Director
Human Rights Commission
P.O.Box 8700
St. John's, Newfoundland
A1B 4J6
(709) 729-2709, or toll-free: 1-800-563-5808