Vancouver City Council condemns the failure of the
British Columbia government to observe its
international human rights obligations
towards women and girls

Whereas Canada’s 1981 ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women obligates all levels of governments in Canada to take all appropriate measures, in all fields, to ensure the full development and advancement of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing women the exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms on a basis of equality with men;

Whereas Canada was recently reviewed by the United Nation Committee for Elimination of Discrimination against Women for its national, provincial, and territorial governments’ compliance with obligations assumed under this Convention;

Whereas this United Nations Committee in its Concluding Comments on Canada’s recent review noted the discriminatory impact on British Columbian women and girls of recent programme, policy, and funding decisions of the provincial government;

Whereas the British Columbia government alone of all the provincial governments was singled out for criticism in the United Nations Committee’s Concluding Comments;

Whereas, more specifically, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women states that: “The Committee is concerned about a number of recent changes in British Columbia which have a disproportionately negative impact on women, in particular Aboriginal women. Among these changes are: the cut in funds for legal aid and welfare assistance, including changes in eligibility rules; the cut in welfare assistance; the incorporation of the Ministry of Women’s Equality under the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services; the abolition of the independent Human Rights Commission; the closing of a number of courthouses; and the proposed changes regarding the prosecution of domestic violence as well as the cut in support programmes for victims of domestic violence;”

Whereas Paragraph 36 of the United Nations Committee’s Concluding Comments on Canada states the following: “The Committee, through the State Party, urges the government of British Columbia to analyse its recent legal and other measures as to their negative impact on women and to amend the measures, where necessary;”

Be it resolved that the City of Vancouver condemns the failure of the British Columbia government to observe its international human rights obligations towards women and girls.

Be it further resolved that the City of Vancouver calls on the British Columbia government to conduct a review of the specific impact on women and girls of recent programme, policy, and funding changes in order to reverse those changes that specifically harm women and girls,

Be it further resolved that the City of Vancouver calls on the British Columbia government to freeze action on any further programme, policy and funding changes which may negatively affect women and girls, until this review is completed.