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Home / Cases and Law Reform / Issue Areas
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ISsue Area

Socio-Economic Rights

Until women and gender diverse people have equitable access to good quality and affordable education, health services, food, clothing, and housing, gender equality will not be achieved. Until women and gender diverse people are not disproportionately poor, gender equality will not be achieved.  

Gender discrimination intersects with other forms of oppression so that women living with multiple intersecting grounds of oppression are overwhelmingly poor: 36% of First Nations women (living off reserve); 33% of women who are visible minorities; 33% of women with disabilities; and 20% of women who identify as immigrants. 

LEAF works hard to address poverty issues and the ways that discrimination against women serves to make women even more poor. We are exploring the potential of a basic income to address gender inequality from an intersectional lens, and we regularly remind governments that discrimination and gender stereotyping contribute to gender wage gaps. In the courts, LEAF has intervened to argue that housing is a fundamental human right; to address women’s inability to access support and family property upon the death of a spouse; to argue for the health care rights of refugee claimants  – and much more. 

Les droits socio-économiques

Tant que les femmes et les personnes de divers genres n’auront pas un accès équitable à une éducation, à des services de santé, à des aliments, à des vêtements et à un logement abordable et de bonne qualité, l’égalité des genres ne sera pas réalisée. Tant que les femmes et les personnes de divers genres ne seront pas disproportionnellement pauvres, l’égalité entre les genres ne sera pas réalisée.


La discrimination fondée sur le sexe se manifeste en d’autres formes d’oppression, de sorte que les femmes vivant avec de multiples motifs d’oppression croisés sont extrêmement pauvres: 36% des femmes des Premières Nations (vivant hors réserve); 33% des femmes appartenant à des minorités visibles; 33% de femmes handicapées; et 20% des femmes qui s’identifient comme immigrantes. 

Le FAEJ travaille fort pour résoudre les problèmes de pauvreté et les façons dont la discrimination à l’égard des femmes contribue à rendre les femmes encore plus pauvres. Nous explorons le potentiel d’un revenu de base pour lutter contre les inégalités entre les genres d’un point de vue intersectionnel, et nous rappelons régulièrement aux gouvernements que la discrimination et les stéréotypes de genre contribuent aux écarts de salaire entre les genres. Devant les tribunaux, le FAEJ est intervenue pour faire valoir que le logement est un droit de la personne fondamental; pour remédier à l’incapacité des femmes d’accéder à la pension alimentaire et aux biens familiaux au décès de leur conjoint; défendre les droits des demandeurs d’asile aux soins de santé – et beaucoup plus. 

Related Projects

Current Work

Basic Income Project

LEAF works hard to address poverty issues and call attention to how discrimination makes women even more poor.
Learn More

Related Cases & Law Reform

Cases

Colucci v. Colucci (2020)

This case concerned retroactive decreases in child support obligations, and the impact of those reductions on women and children’s substantive...

Jackson Estate v. Young (2020)

This case concerned whether or not a common-law spouse is entitled to any part of their spouse’s estate when that...

Fraser v. Canada (A.G.) (2020)

This case concerned equal access to pensions for female RCMP officers with caregiving responsibilities.   LEAF intervened before the Supreme Court...

R. v. Sharma (2019)

This case concerned the over-incarceration of Indigenous women.   LEAF, in partnership with the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (the...
See More

Submissions

LEAF submits brief on gendered impact of COVID-19 to the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology
LEAF urges Benchers to speak out against motions that undermine the important role of equality-seeking organizations in helping the LSO protect the public interest
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News

Public Statement Against Encampment Evictions
LEAF and West Coast LEAF advocate for fairness and certainty in child support regime at the Supreme Court 
See More
Cases and Law Reform
  • Our Work
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    National Office
    180 Dundas Street West, Suite 1420
    Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8
    [email protected]
    Phone: 416.595.7170
    Toll-free: 1.888.824.5323
    Facsimile: 416.595.7191

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      • Issue Areas
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        • Identity-Based Oppression
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        • Sexual Assault and Consent Law
        • Gender-Based Violence
        • Access to Justice
        • Workplace Rights
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      • Search Cases & Submissions
      • Current Work
        • Basic Income Project
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        • National Abortion Access Framework
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