Focus Remains on the Needs of Young Women

The Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women will continue to focus on the needs of young women as it heads into a new fiscal year.

"Our young women's forums, our conference on young women and our writing contest were all wildly successful," said Patricia Doyle-Bedwell, chair of the council. "We knew there was a need to look at young women's issues, but at first, we didn't realize how great that need was. This is an area requiring a concentrated effort."

Ms. Doyle-Bedwell, speaking at the advisory council's annual meeting held Friday evening in New Glasgow, said the council had a busy and productive year on several fronts. Its work included:

• preparing briefs for federal and provincial government committees
• holding or collaborating on conferences and workshops
• initiating training for paramedics in dealing with domestic violence
• championing a new GPI report on the economic value of unpaid housework and child care
• touring the province to host young women's forums

"We've certainly been busy," said Ms. Doyle-Bedwell. "But we just have to keep going, following through on a whole range of initiatives that contribute to fulfilling our mission, which is, of course, that of advancing equality, fairness and dignity for all Nova Scotian women."

She said that over the next year, in addition to its young women's initiative, the council will continue to push for the further inclusion of women in technical occupations. It will also keep an eye on the current social-assistance restructuring in terms of its impact on women, and it will provide input into the evaluation of the new unified family court to ensure women in abusive situations are not further victimized by forced mediation.