Why should women’s issues be important in our provincial election? Women aged twenty and older make up approximately 52% of the population in Nova Scotia. Our issues need to be heard! It is important to remember as well that women of varying ethnicities and cultures are vibrant members of our communities, and their issues also need to be raised. For example, Aboriginal women have many concerns that need to be addressed by the candidates in this election.
Low Income:
On average, on-reserve Aboriginal women who work full time earn close to $6,000 less annually than non-Aboriginal women who work full time.
Only 34% of on-reserve Aboriginal young women aged 15-24 are participating in Nova Scotia’s labour force, compared to 63% of young non-Aboriginal women.
Education
Non-Aboriginal women are more likely to obtain university certificates or degrees, while Aboriginal women living off reserve are more likely to obtain college certificates.
Aboriginal women living on-reserve are less likely than Aboriginal women living off-reserve to complete post-secondary studies.
Family Violence
Aboriginal women in Canada are at least three times more likely to have experienced spousal violence than non-Aboriginal women.
Where do the candidates stand on these important issues, and how will they commit to improving the lives of Aboriginal women in our province?
All statistics taken from:
www. gov.ns.ca/finance/communitycounts and http://women.gov.ns.ca
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