Toronto – February 29, 2024 – International Women’s Day (IWD) is a time to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and girls everywhere. This is a time to recognize the women who inspire, and a time to renew discussions about the important of gender equality in Canada and around the world.

The theme of IWD this year is “Inspire Inclusion”, and the importance of inspiring others to understand and value women’s inclusion. The inclusion of women in more spaces is one of the most effective ways to build healthier and more prosperous communities.

On the political front in Canada over the last year, the NDP government in British Columbia has made significant strides to inspire inclusion by providing free contraceptives and implementing $10-a-day childcare to improve the health and economic outcomes for women. Recently, the Federal NDP announced a new Pharmacare plan that will cover birth control for all Canadians.

UFCW women in Canada also continue to make history with the elections of UFCW 1400 President Lucy Flack-Figueiredo and new UFCW 175 President Kelly Tosato as International Vice-Presidents, serving both their local unions and the 1.3 million UFCW members in both Canada and the U.S.

In honour of International Women’s Day, the UFCW Women’s Network and UFCW Canada Women & Gender Committee are hosting an important webinar on March 8. The webinar will focus on gender-based violence and how Local Unions across North America are tackling the issue. Register for the webinar here.

Share solidarity today by finding a local International Women’s Day rally or posting on social media using the hashtag #InspireInclusion and #IWD2024.