What�s the Social Audit telling us about the status of women
in Newfoundland and Labrador

"Generally, any time you see a difference in statistics for women and men, it is an opportunity to ask why that difference exists and to use the answer to help design better programs," said Yvonne Jones, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, today at the launch of the Social Audit.

The Social Audit document From the Ground Up fulfils a commitment government made under the Strategic Social Plan. It provides a snapshot view of the well-being of our population and the quality of life in the province based on a number of indicators covering aspects such as health, education, employment and income. There are important differences for women and men in some of the data reported and Minister Jones noted that these must be kept in mind in policy development. "While a program may be open to everyone, there may be barriers to women�s participation, such as access to child care or funds for transportation," said Minister Jones, "and these need to be considered to ensure fair and equal access to opportunities for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians."

There are a number of positive indicators in this audit with respect to women, including their performance in education, their increased labour market participation and their long life expectancy. There are also areas where the gender gap is a concern, such as women�s income levels. The gender wage gap is quite evident in this report, with women earning considerably less for full-time full-year work. They are also the majority of those in part-time work which affects their access to benefits. In addition, half of all single parents are living in poverty and women primarily head single parent families.

As well as assessing why these gaps exist, Minister Jones also indicated that the roles women play in our society and their priorities need to be taken into account. "For example, women are more likely than men to rate their mental health lower, and one of the most common forms of cancer for women is breast cancer. Consequently, their priorities may be different," said Minister Jones. "Women are also the majority of those who provide care to children, seniors and dependent adults and these responsibilities must be kept in mind to ensure policies do not have a detrimental impact on women."

"I am pleased to see data broken down by gender in this report and we must continue to build on the information we have," said Minister Jones. "Through the Women�s Policy Office, and with ongoing support from the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women and other equality seeking groups, government will continue to identify where gender gaps and differences exist so that we can ensure women receive equitable treatment. The Social Audit is a resource for this task and provides a benchmark on which to track progress."

Media contact: Cynthia Layden-Barron, Communications, (709) 729-3733

2003 04 02                                          3:10 p.m.