Giving Tuesday is a movement dedicated to giving back. As a registered charity, our programs and initiatives to elevate women are dependent on the generous support of our donors and sponsors. On December 1st, take part in this global campaign and consider making a gift to Minerva BC. Follow this link to donate now.
This past year has been filled with uncertainty, stress, and anxiety. For women, especially women with racialized and intersectional identities, these feelings are likely amplified.
Data shows that women disproportionately experience the burden of unpaid childcare and responsibilities at home, which has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities. Unfortunately, this has resulted in more women leaving the workforce.
As more data becomes available, the same somber undertone remains: women’s equality is regressing. We are in the midst of a “she-cession.“ In a recent Op-Ed in the Vancouver Sun, our CEO Tina Strehlke warned that if left unchecked, “Canada could see the biggest rollback in history of women rights and gender equity.”
“The employment rate of women dipped to 55% for the first time since the 1980’s” – RBC
However, the contribution of women is now more apparent than ever, and the visibility of women in leadership is promising.
We see around the world, women heads of state and government responding to the crisis with competence and poise. We see our neighbour, the United States, elect the first woman, and woman of colour, to the country’s second-highest office. We see in Canada, Dr. Bonnie Henry and Theresa Tam who continue to impress us with their expertise and humility. We see in our local communities, women on the front lines making crucial and life-saving decisions.
And we see, in our own youth programs, budding leaders like this year’s Youth Leadership Award recipient Tanisha Misra. She founded the Educate&Empower initiative, which funded the education of more than 900 children out of school because of the pandemic.
While we should celebrate successes, we must not lose sight of the challenges that lie ahead. To restore the momentum that has been lost, we must prioritize gender equity in our pandemic recovery and emerge stronger and more resilient.
It’s not business as usual, but Minerva BC is hard at work. It is strong leadership that gets us through times of crisis and our mission to elevate women and girls has never mattered more. On Giving Tuesday, we ask that you remain committed to breaking down barriers and biases, and advancing programs and initiatives supportive of women’s achievements. If you have the capacity, please consider giving to Minerva BC so we can continue to advance women in leadership in 2021.
