Gender Equality Mainstreaming Digest – August 2017 Issue
Here are the highlights of this month’s Gender Equality Mainstreaming Digest! Click HERE for the full version.
Asiatic lily in bloom in Manitoba, Canada. Photo courtesy of D. Ceplis
Highlights:
Opportunities and Upcoming Events:
Graduate student positions (one MSc and one PhD) are available now – Graduate student positions are available in the Departments of Microbiology and Soil Science at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. The successful applicants will be conducting microbiological and chemical analysis of drinking water samples from First Nations Communities in Manitoba. Applicants will also be testing the water samples for the presence of antibiotic resistance markers. The research will include trips to different communities participating in the study for collecting samples and knowledge translation.
Survey: Women’s economic empowerment – Share your feedback by August 15, 2017, and help to create Ontario’s first strategy for the economic empowerment of women. Your feedback will be reviewed and considered by the Ministry of the Status of Women.
The call for the IDRC Research Awards 2018 is now open! – Are you interested in international development and doing field research in a developing country?
If you’re Canadian, a permanent resident of Canada, or a citizen of developing countries pursuing OR who has already completed a master’s or a doctoral degree at a recognized university, you could qualify for an IDRC Research Award. Please note additional eligibility requirements apply. The application deadline is September 6, 2017.
Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education – Call for Abstracts – AIAEE Scholarly Activities Committee is requesting proposals for refereed abstracts relating to international agricultural and extension education to be presented at the 34th Annual Conference in Yucatan, Mexico [April 16-20, 2018]. Topics relating to the conference theme “Celebrating the Intersection of Human, Natural, and Cultural Systems” are encouraged, but all submissions will be given full consideration. The deadline for submitting proposals is Friday, September 15, 2017, by 11:59 PM
This Month’s News:
Women’s Voice and Leadership Program – In support of Canada’s new Feminist International Assistance Policy, Minister Bibeau announced on June 9, 2017, the new Women’s Voice and Leadership Program. As part of this initiative, the Government of Canada will allocate $150 million over five years to respond to the needs of local women’s organizations in developing countries that are working to advance the rights of women and girls and promote gender equality. This will make Canada a leading donor in supporting women’s rights organizations in developing countries.
Canada’s new feminist funding model will finally enable women leaders on the ground to be supported through flexible, non-project specific funding—allowing them to set their own agenda and respond where the need in their community is greatest. The funding is expected to begin flowing before fiscal year end.
New funding will help support a vibrant gender equality movement across Canada – The Canadian Centre for Women in Science, Engineering, Trades and Technology (WinSETT Centre) is receiving $354,128 in funding for a three-year project to challenge gender bias and stereotypes affecting women in the science, engineering, trades and technology sectors. The organization will work with industry partners to develop a strategy to address these stereotypes. This will then be shared with stakeholders, including potential employers.
In addition, Women Building Futures is receiving $384,000 for a three-year project to support the hiring and retention of Indigenous women in the construction, maintenance, and oil and gas sectors. The project will bring together Indigenous women, employers and stakeholders to identify barriers and best practices to advance Indigenous women’s participation in these industries.
Reports Publications and Resources:
Women, Energy, and Economic Empowerment – With a “gender lens” approach to energy access programs, the millions of dollars flowing to energy access initiatives around the globe can have a greater impact on women’s empowerment.
There are two well-accepted narratives related to economic growth. First, vast gender inequalities remain throughout the world and are closely linked to poverty and instability. Second, access to modern energy enables economic advancement. Until now, however, exploration into the relationship between these two narratives has been limited.
What is missing, it seems, is the linkage between energy access and women’s economic empowerment. Under what context does gender equality rise with access to electricity; what are the channels through which this change occurs; and how significant are the economic benefits to women? Can donor institutions and governments reap more meaningful results by targeting energy development programs that enhance benefits for women, and if so, how? In this report, we explore these questions.
Integrating global issues in the creative classroom – This publication has a twofold aim – to help students learn a language creatively whilst at the same time raising awareness of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through bringing together a range of innovative ideas for teaching creatively and addressing these key issues. The activities include enabling students to think creatively about sustainable food and food supplies, creating energy which does not harm the environment, and collaborating with other students globally to diminish the digital divide.
The Gender Equality Mainstreaming (GEM) Working Group of the Agricultural Institute of Canada gathers information and articles on an ongoing basis on gender equality mainstreaming within agriculture, scientific research, rural development, climate change, organizational development and international development. The views and opinions presented are not necessarily representative of AIC.
Back issues of the GEM Digest are available here.