EXCERPTS from the Introduction
When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government took power in November 2015, it promised to transform the lives of women and girls through feminist policy-making and inclusive growth. This was an opportunity to make real progress on the twin struggles of gender and economic inequality, both
in Canada and abroad. Inspired by this promise, Oxfam Canada decided to track the government’s action
to deliver on its bold agenda.
Feminist Scorecard 2019 is the third in this Oxfam Canada series. It assesses the steps that the government took between March 2018 and February 2019 to make meaningful progress towards achieving women’s rights and gender equality. Progress is assessed across eight policy areas: representation and leadership; global development; climate change and extractive industries; care work; gender-based violence; tax; conflict and crisis; and jobs and pay equity.
Three years in, the government’s efforts have undoubtedly started to pay off. Just this past year there have been many wins for feminists to celebrate, including the passage of landmark pay equity and gender budgeting legislation, the creation of the Department for Women and Gender Equality and its broadened intersectional mandate, the doubling of federal funding to support the Canadian women’s movement, and the decision to put gender equality at the heart of Canada’s G7 presidency.