nds76
03-08-2006, 9:43am
women than ever are living alone.
Women are also getting married less, divorcing more and outliving the men they do live with, according to a Statistics Canada study released as the world celebrates International Women's Day on Wednesday.
In 2001, more than 1.5 million women -- 14 per cent of Canadian women over the age of 15 -- lived solo. That's more than double the number compared with 30 years before.
StatsCan cites such factors as dropping marriage rates and increasing divorce rates. Coupled with the fact that men still have shorter lifespans than women (a girl born in 2001 can expect to live five years longer, on average, that her male counterpart), the study found that more women aged 65 and over are also living alone these days.
The number of women with post-secondary educations is also on the rise -- climbing to 15 per cent in 2001 from three per cent in 1971.
The report, however, still shows that substantial gaps exist between the sexes in many key areas, including:
the average earnings of working women are still substantially lower than those of men;
women make up a disproportionate share of the population with low incomes; and
women are also much more likely than men to work part time.
Catherine Swift, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, called the study's findings a "good news-bad news scenario."
She told Canada AM on Wednesday the fact there are more women than men enrolled in professional programs such as law, engineering and business "will, down the road, translate into better employment prospects. And we know that education is virtually guaranteed to get you a better income."
But the fact that with women's income levels are still just over 70 per cent of that of their male counterparts is "not so good," said Swift. She added, however, that the reason behind the numbers go deeper than employment discrimination.
"We're still having the babies," she said, "and a lot of the reason women interrupt careers and therefore do negatively affect their career prospects is that they take time out to have a family. That's not going to change, as far as I know, any time soon."
International Women's Day
Canada's Gov.-Gen. Michaelle Jean, meanwhile, said the fight for women's rights is far from over.
In a message for International Women's Day, Jean pointed out the gap in opportunities and responsibilities that exists between women and men in every aspect of life.
Jean said women continue to face serious problems, including violence and poverty, and that women must continue to fight to preserve what they have accomplished, to better their circumstances, and to achieve equality.
Demanding these rights, she said, is the only way to ensure the freedom so abundant in Canada.
The Governor General also urged Canadians to consider what might yet be done so that women, in all their diversity, achieve equality.
"Beyond laws, let us celebrate the right to be women,'' said Jean.
Details of the Statscan report:
On marriage: 48 per cent of women 15 and over were married in 2001 -- down from 56 per cent in 1981. Common-law unions have increased, but the number of women living with partners fell 2 per cent in the 30-year period.
On divorce: In 2003, the rate of 224 divorces per 100,000 people was about four times the number in 1968, when there were only 55 divorces per 100,000 people.
On health: In 2002, heart disease and cancer were the causes for over half of all female deaths. The number of lung cancer-related deaths have also risen.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060308/women_stats_060308/20060308?hub=TopStories
Women are also getting married less, divorcing more and outliving the men they do live with, according to a Statistics Canada study released as the world celebrates International Women's Day on Wednesday.
In 2001, more than 1.5 million women -- 14 per cent of Canadian women over the age of 15 -- lived solo. That's more than double the number compared with 30 years before.
StatsCan cites such factors as dropping marriage rates and increasing divorce rates. Coupled with the fact that men still have shorter lifespans than women (a girl born in 2001 can expect to live five years longer, on average, that her male counterpart), the study found that more women aged 65 and over are also living alone these days.
The number of women with post-secondary educations is also on the rise -- climbing to 15 per cent in 2001 from three per cent in 1971.
The report, however, still shows that substantial gaps exist between the sexes in many key areas, including:
the average earnings of working women are still substantially lower than those of men;
women make up a disproportionate share of the population with low incomes; and
women are also much more likely than men to work part time.
Catherine Swift, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, called the study's findings a "good news-bad news scenario."
She told Canada AM on Wednesday the fact there are more women than men enrolled in professional programs such as law, engineering and business "will, down the road, translate into better employment prospects. And we know that education is virtually guaranteed to get you a better income."
But the fact that with women's income levels are still just over 70 per cent of that of their male counterparts is "not so good," said Swift. She added, however, that the reason behind the numbers go deeper than employment discrimination.
"We're still having the babies," she said, "and a lot of the reason women interrupt careers and therefore do negatively affect their career prospects is that they take time out to have a family. That's not going to change, as far as I know, any time soon."
International Women's Day
Canada's Gov.-Gen. Michaelle Jean, meanwhile, said the fight for women's rights is far from over.
In a message for International Women's Day, Jean pointed out the gap in opportunities and responsibilities that exists between women and men in every aspect of life.
Jean said women continue to face serious problems, including violence and poverty, and that women must continue to fight to preserve what they have accomplished, to better their circumstances, and to achieve equality.
Demanding these rights, she said, is the only way to ensure the freedom so abundant in Canada.
The Governor General also urged Canadians to consider what might yet be done so that women, in all their diversity, achieve equality.
"Beyond laws, let us celebrate the right to be women,'' said Jean.
Details of the Statscan report:
On marriage: 48 per cent of women 15 and over were married in 2001 -- down from 56 per cent in 1981. Common-law unions have increased, but the number of women living with partners fell 2 per cent in the 30-year period.
On divorce: In 2003, the rate of 224 divorces per 100,000 people was about four times the number in 1968, when there were only 55 divorces per 100,000 people.
On health: In 2002, heart disease and cancer were the causes for over half of all female deaths. The number of lung cancer-related deaths have also risen.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060308/women_stats_060308/20060308?hub=TopStories