Submission on a Proposed Canadian Human Rights Report Card

In 2009, LEAF produced a submission on the Canadian Human Rights Commission’s proposed Canadian human rights report card.

LEAF approached the consultation with the Canadian Human Rights Commission on the basis that the report card project was underway, and that equality-seeking groups were being consulted to improve and provide feedback on the proposed framework.

One of the challenges of advancing the rights of women, and in particular promoting the equality of women who experience multiple forms of discrimination, is the absence of easily accessible, reliable and consistently disaggregated data on key indicators of women’s inequality. Improved research and information could assist equality-seekers in distinguishing data on state action and data which measures the extent to which rights are in fact being realized by protected groups within Canada. At the same time, it was important to be cognizant of the limitations of indicators and, as much as possible, to ensure that the proposed human rights report card would be developed and presented in a way which reflected the lived experience of those who suffer inequality and violations of their human rights.

It was essential that the report card track the adequately track the key indicators of women’s inequality. LEAF’s submission paid attention to whether the proposal adequately considered and tracked women’s lived experience of inequality, and especially that of the most marginalized of women. LEAF suggested that the Commission give high priority to ensuring its report card measured the progress of women’s equality, and that the report card be further developed in response to the gaps and concerns identified in the submission.

Download the submission below.