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| Photo Credit: Jeltovski, Canada |
Today I'm especially proud to be Canadian. A survey
conducted by TrustLaw, a legal news service of Thomson Reuters Foundation, was
just released. It reports that the best place within the G20 countries for a
woman to live is Canada.
Not surprisingly, the worst was Indian, which ranked even
lower than Saudi Arabia, until 2011 it did not grant women the right to vote,
and still fails to grant women a driver's license. India ranks so low because female babies continue to be
killed, child brides are forced into matrimony, and women are sold into
slavery. India is a parliamentary democracy? Yes Siree!
The United States with its poor record on health care and
its division over reproductive rights places it at number six. Interestingly, Save
the Children recently stated that the United States is the worst place to be a
mother. Siting maternity mortality and lack of tolerance regarding breast-feeding.
The six categories the TrustLaw considered were:
- · quality of health
- · freedom from violence
- · participation in politics
- · workpalce opportunities
- · access to resources
- · freedom from trafficking and slavery
I remember a time when there was a great deal of
discrimination in Canada. In the 1970s many jobs were closed to women that all
began to change in the 1980s. Canadian women worked hard for daycare,
reproductive choice and equal opportunities. I know this because I was one of
the women who did her part, albeit and ever so small part.
In many ways Canada and the United States are one. We share
the same language, watch the same movies and television programs, and listen to
the same music. But, I'd like to think that Canada is the kinder, gentler
nation. Of course, I'm prejudice.
Source: The Global Edition of the New York Times, June 13, 2012
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