1. Roles of Women The informal slogan of the Decade of Women became “Women do two-thirds of the world’s work, receive 10 percent of the world’s income and own 1 percent of the means of production.” — Richard H. Robbins, Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism, (Allyn and Bacon, 1999), p. 354

2. What are some roles of women in our world? Mentor mother Child rearer Nurturer/healer Partner/wife Spiritual leader Politician/activist Artist/preserver of culture Laborer Others? The average annual income of Aboriginal women is $13,300, compared to $18,200 for Aboriginal men, and $19,350 for non- Aboriginal women -Statistics Canada, 2000, p. 258.

3. Why is it a global issue? Isolation and lack of social support are major factors in the health of immigrant women. -http://www.nms.on.ca/Secondary/women__facts__figure.htm http://www.indexmundi.com/g/correlation.aspx?v1=67&v2=31&y=2003

4. Why is it a global issue? Millennium Development Goals, UN: Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women Target by 2015: Eliminate gender disparity at all levels of education by 2015 and empower women. Goal 5: Improve maternal health Target by 2015: Reduce the maternal mortality ratio by three quarters. -http://www.unicef.org/mdg/gender.html A woman dies from complications in childbirth every minute – about 529,000 each year -- the vast majority of them in developing countries. -http://www.unicef.org/mdg/maternal.html

5. Fatma’s Story… http://www.unicef.org/sowc07/profiles/3_fatna.php Two-thirds of the world’s 799 million illiterate adults ages 15 and over are women. -http://www.unicef.org/mdg/maternal.html

6. Are there local linkages? YES! This is relevant to us simply because we are women or we know women or we interact with women! Businesses owned by women in Atlantic Canada generate more than $2 billion/year in sales -http://weesociety.ca/index.php/site/womencedinfo/

7. Are there local linkages? Other local issues/topics of interest: Pay equity in this region Athletic funding and other support in schools Academic/career counseling in secondary schools Others? In Canada, approximately 57% of all full-time undergraduate university students among the 18-24 age group are women, according to Statistics Canada (University enrollment, 2001)

8. Implications for the classroom? How are we conducting our classes? Hidden curriculum? Can be empowering (or not!) for girls… treat with sensitivity

9. Age appropriate concerns? Perhaps… Tread lightly surrounding topics such as sex trafficking But… Start dealing with gender issues early! Sex is a factor in the assignment of students to ability groups in mathematics, and males are more likely to be assigned to the high ability group (Hallinan, M.T., and A.B. Sorenson. 1987. "Ability Grouping and Sex Differences in Mathematics Achievement."Sociology of Education 60 (2): 63-72)

10. Potential controversial elements? Sensitivity re. religion, culture Pitting one sex against the other in class (and out of class) “Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult." - Charlotte Whitton (former mayor of Ottawa )

11. Starting points… http://www.unicef.org/gender/index.html http://www.globalissues.org/HumanRights/Womens Rights.asp http://www.globalissues.org/HumanRights/Womens Rights.asp http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/eco nvention.htm http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/eco nvention.htm http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/rwanda/ http://www.irc.nl/page/31320