Justice and Public Safety
March 08, 2017

The following is being distributed at the request of the Human Rights Commission of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Human Rights Commission Recognizes and Celebrates International Women's Day

On March 8, commissioners and staff of the Human Rights Commission are joining the world to celebrate International Women’s Day. The global day recognizes the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and also marks a call to action for accelerating gender equality.

"Women in Newfoundland and Labrador have demonstrated their activism and the power of their voices on many legal, political and ethical issues in the last few weeks. As we celebrate International Women's Day, we can all gather strength and resolve in promoting the equality of women. The Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Commission joins all mothers, daughters, sisters, friends and colleagues to stand united in the quest for respect, dignity, and the protection of women. On this day, we join our voice with all women around the world seeking peace, safety and equality."
- Kim Mackay, Vice-Chair of the Human Rights Commission

Events in Newfoundland and Labrador this week will celebrate the goal of gender equality and honour the contributions women and others have made – at home and around the world. On March 8 you can wear red to show solidarity with those that are striking and by using #DayWithoutWomen. On A Day without Women, women around the world go on strike, taking the day off from paid and unpaid labour. The movement is meant to show the critical importance of women in the economy. You can also pledge to #BeBoldForChange by making the world more gender inclusive.

In Canada, this year's International Women's Day theme is Equality Matters. People are encouraged to talk on social media about why equality is important to them using the hashtag #EqualityMatters.

The Human Rights Commission conducts public education and training sessions in order to make the public aware of their respective human rights and responsibilities. The commission offers training sessions to organizations upon request and also provides guidelines on its website for topics of public interest. The Human Rights Commission can be contacted at 729-2709 or humanrights@gov.nl.ca to arrange an information session. Follow us on Twitter @nlhumanrights.

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Media contact:

Kim Mackay Vice-Chair of the Human Rights Commission 709-729-2709

2017 03 08                              2:45 p.m.