VANCOUVER – Today, West Coast LEAF released its 10th annual Report Card on the rights of women in BC. The report card shows that although BC’s grades have improved in six areas, further progress is needed for the province to satisfy its international obligations to women’s human rights. Advancements in areas such as child care are encouraging, but … Read more Release: Report card on gender equality in BC released
West Coast LEAF has long been a trans-inclusive organization – to some extent. Since 2003, we have explicitly defined “women” as encompassing all those who define themselves as women, whatever their sex assignment at birth. The hard part for us in recent years has been whether and how to include people who don’t define themselves as women; … Read more The Feminist Tent
VANCOUVER – Yesterday, the BC Court of Appeal (BCCA) released its judgment in a case about discrimination against Vancouver’s street homeless population. The Court upheld the 2012 dismissal of a human rights complaint brought on behalf of the population of homeless in downtown Vancouver. In many ways, this case is about equal access to human rights protections … Read more Release: BC Court Decision Leaves Street Homeless Vulnerable
In April 2018, West Coast LEAF submitted recommendations to BC’s Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to inform the development of provincial standards and policies on unbiased policing. West Coast LEAF recognizes the profound risks and harms that bias in police conduct creates for people who experience systemic injustices, including Indigenous people, undocumented migrants, … Read more Submission on Promoting Unbiased Policing in BC
Today, we sent a briefing note to legislators that calls on BC’s Ministry of Children and Family Development to eliminate policies and practices that require parents to have an open child protection file – despite the lack of risk concerns – in order to receive critical support services, including child care. Read our briefing note here. Submissions
VANCOUVER – This morning, the BC Supreme Court released its judgment in an historic court case challenging the use of solitary confinement in Canada’s federal prisons. Justice Peter Leask found the prolonged and indefinite segregation of federal prisoners violates their rights to life, liberty, and security of the person (s. 7 of the Charter) and discriminates against mentally ill … Read more Release: BC court rules solitary confinement violates the Charter
Read our 2017 Annual Report. to learn about West Coast LEAF’s work for gender justice in the 2016/2017 fiscal year. Publications
On December 6th, 2017, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women, West Coast LEAF issued our 9th annual CEDAW Report Card, assessing BC’s progress in nine key areas impacting women’s human rights, including access to justice, economic security, affordable housing and child care, and women’s health and safety. Government inaction in all of … Read more 2017 CEDAW Report Card
VANCOUVER – Today, West Coast LEAF released its ninth annual report card on the rights of women in BC. While BC has pulled up its grade in seven of the nine key areas this year, the report card still shows a serious need for improvement in order to fulfill international commitments on women’s human rights. The … Read more Release: BC still not making the grade in women’s equality, despite modest improvements
On June 15, 2023, West Coast LEAF appeared before BC’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services to share our key recommendations for Budget 2024…