The Society of United Professionals' President Rebecca Caron honoured International Women's Day (IWD) with a public address on the gender wage gap, presented at the Capitol Theatre on March 7.
The event was hosted by the Port Hope and District Chamber of Commerce. Rebecca's speech is inspired by the 2025 theme for IWD: "Accelerate Action." According to data from the World Economic Forum, we won't reach full gender parity until 2158. That's why swift action is needed to bridge the gap between genders.
Rebecca spoke about actions that individuals and organizations can take to address the gender pay gap – the gap in income between men and women that keeps many women from experiencing prosperity. She explored the crucial role that unions play in driving pay equity initiatives and ensuring workplaces comply with pay equity legislation. And she spoke about the need to elect governments that invest in sectors and raise wages where women predominately work, including the daycare, healthcare, and community social services sectors. Through their collective voting power, women can leverage support for political parties that promote women’s empowerment and equality.
You can watch the full address on the Society’s YouTube channel here: