A return to the pre-pandemic status quo is not enough. Canada needs economic equity for women now

By Joan Dea, Chair of the Board of LEAP | Pecaut Centre for Social Impact

As published in the Toronto Star.

The pandemic, with its massive societal and economic disruptions, changed the way we live and work. These seismic shifts create an opportunity — and also an obligation. As our society realigns itself to these new realities, we must ensure the actions we take create a robust economy for all Canadians. This means turning our attention to finally ensuring economic equity for women, especially those from underserved communities.

Despite what we might tell ourselves, Canada still has a long way to go when it comes to the personal and economic well-being of women. Today, nearly two million women in Canada live in poverty. Women earn less than men, and are often stuck in unpaid domestic and caregiving labour.

COVID-19 has exacerbated these issues: women lost more jobs, recovered less and spent 1.6 times the amount of time on unpaid work relative to men. In fact, during the pandemic, Canada’s female employment rate was set back by 30 years.

Now we have an opportunity to reimagine the ways we focus our resources. A return to the pre-pandemic status quo is not enough — we must move proactively to build a more equitable society.

Investing in women creates long-term social and economic benefits that have a proven ripple effect. Lifting women out of poverty and facilitating their fuller participation in the workforce has a net positive impact on their families and communities. Their children’s mental and physical health improves, as does their school performance and future earning potential. Women are more likely to invest in their communities and support local businesses. And ensuring women’s equal participation in the economy is good for every bottom line and every person in this country: data shows that by eliminating the gender wage gap, we can increase Canada’s GDP by $150 billion. On every level, enabling economic independence for women is one of the highest value investments we can make as a society.

Why, despite the compelling evidence, does progress remain stubbornly slow? This is not purely an economic problem — it is a complex, multi-faceted issue that goes far beyond gender bias. Addressing women’s economic well-being means addressing the interconnected drivers that affect women’s personal stability: basic needs and social support, education, the opportunity cost of caregiving, workforce opportunity, and societal and institutional norms.

Unfortunately, any progress that has been made to date has generated unequal advancement among women. Women from marginalized communities — including those who are racialized, Indigenous, immigrants, low-income, disabled, LGBTQ2+ or lone parents — experience additional barriers to economic well-being. These segments of the population are more vulnerable to gendered assumptions — rooted in bias and discrimination — regarding domestic and caregiving responsibilities and professional and political positions.

However, we should not let complexity intimidate us; solutions do exist. They are not easy, but the results are worthwhile. An effective approach must:

Directly address the drivers of inequity. When we focus on strengthening the social and economic support systems of women from marginalized communities, we can pave the way for their fuller participation in the economy.

• Support strong community leaders. Localized, innovative solutions currently exist. Their success is often rooted in deep understanding of cultural and social norms, practices and beliefs.

• Direct resources to what works. Measurement of impact is too often secondary to effort. A laser focus on impact is essential. Human and financial resources should be invested in the most effective solutions that in turn reach the scope of the problems.

• Facilitate learning and partnerships. To address the complexity of the issue, similarly focused organizations must find opportunities to partner and share learnings.

• Catalyze collaboration. It is essential to build a web of support across individuals, organizations and sectors to harness their unique resources, and to create new systems of working together that effect sustainable change.
  
  At this moment, we have the opportunity to break through the societal disruptions brought on by the pandemic; to re-examine the way we work and live; and create a stronger, more equitable economy. By placing our collective action and funding on helping women elevate their economic independence, and in a way that reaches as many women as rapidly as possible, we can make a difference.