Government of New Brunswick

February 20, 2017

FREDERICTON (GNB) –  The New Brunswick Women’s Council is pleased to release a gender-based response to government’s Family Plan Framework. The release of this document coincides with the launch of government’s provincial consultation tour on the framework.

“Consultation is critical in the development of good public policy,” says council co-chair Jennifer Richard. “We are striving to support the consultations by providing stakeholders and citizens with a document that explicitly puts a gender-lens on the framework.”

The council’s response addresses all seven of the framework’s pillars. It includes statistics relating to New Brunswick demographics, information on how lived experiences directly impact citizens’ health and safety, and identifies barriers women often face when attempting to access services.

“Each pillar of the framework presents opportunities to deepen or lessen gender-based inequality,” said Ms. Richard. “It is essential that the public and government recognize this as further development of the framework occurs.”

In addition to providing a broad range of facts and context linked to gender, the response also identifies areas of the framework that the council is particularly concerned with.

“The framework relies heavily on care work to maintain or enhance New Brunwickers’ quality of life,” said council co-chair Jody Dallaire. “This work is often underpaid and precarious and is overwhelmingly performed by women. We look forward to the framework evolving to address this reality in ways that advance, rather than cost, women’s equality.”

The New Brunswick Women’s Council is an independent public advisory body on women’s equality issues. 

02-20-17 

Media contact: Beth Lyons, Executive Director, New Brunswick Women’s Council 
[email protected] Tel. 506-462-5142