This year International Women’s Day is about choosing to challenge. This includes challenging systems and structures that have created imbalances in pursuit of gender equity in Canada.

The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified these imbalances – and, women are disproportionately feeling the impacts.

For example:

• From homeschooling to household responsibilities, Canadian women are carrying their families through the COVID-19 crisis,

• They are facing the highest rates of unemployment,

• Businesses owned by women have been hardest hit by the pandemic taking nearly twice as long to recover, and

• Domestic violence against women is on the rise

The ability of women to return to the workforce is essential for a successful economic recovery in Canada.

Jagmeet Singh and the NDP believe that when women succeed, we all succeed.

New Democrats are committed to making sure the recovery is a feminist one that advances gender equity.

Add your name to join Jagmeet Singh in calling on the Liberal government to implement the NDP's plan that includes:

• Investing in affordable and universal childcare, because the lack of affordable childcare in Canada is hurting families, women, and our economy.

• Working in partnership with Indigenous women, the families of the missing and murdered, and communities to implement the Inquiry’s Calls for Justice and the calls to action brought forward by communities. This includes establishing a comprehensive, plan to address violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA People.

• Delivering a National Action Plan to end gender-based violence, backed by stable funding to ensure that shelter services and other programs are available in all regions of the country, especially areas that have traditionally been under-served. This includes updating the Canada Labour Code to include ten days of paid leave for those dealing with family and domestic violence.