The Working Group on the Status of Women and Gender Equity is chaired by Councillor Pam McConnell.

A. Mandate
The Working Group has a dual mandate. First, as a task group of the Roundtable on Access, Equity and Human Rights, it will focus on gender mainstreaming in the equity accountability agenda of the City of Toronto. Second, it will have an independent mandate to liaise with and report to Council through relevant Standing Committees. on those issues of vital concern to women and which require immediate attention or do not explicitly fall within the mandate of the Roundtable.

B. Purpose
Working in association with councillors, administrators, and staff, and with an intersectional analysis, the Working Group will address the following areas:

• Key issues pertaining to equality for the diverse women and girls in Toronto. These could include areas such as employment, health, housing, sexual assault and violence against women and girls, childcare, transportation, physical planning, refugees and immigration and others as they may arise.
• Provide input to the implementation of gender mainstreaming within the City's Equity agenda.
• Collaborate with Canadian women's groups and gender equity organizations working at the municipal level to implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
• Collaborate with women's and gender equity organizations nationally and internationally on common gender equity concerns.

C. Structure
As the mandate and work plans are established, task teams will be created to engage expertise not readily available in the Working Group.

The Working Group will have access to city reports, statistics, and all information relevant and necessary to do its work.

The Working Group, in collaboration with the Roundtable, will devise systems for communication, information sharing, and consultation with diverse women's constituencies and invite the women of Toronto to attend the meetings of the Working Group

D. Term
The Working Group will support the Roundtable on Access, Equity and Human Rights for the duration of its term.

E. Membership
The Working Group must include representation from the diverse women and constituencies of Toronto. Members are expected to fulfill the commitments and responsibilities of the Working Group and to advance the mandate and tasks of the Working Group.

The Working Group will be representative of women's services, independent women's groups and individual women who have made demonstrable contributions to women's communities through their professional and advocacy work. The membership of the Working Group should reflect the skills needed to implement the Group's mandate and the priorities of the Roundtable on Access, Equity and Human Rights. As a priority, the Working Group will support young women and emerging leaders to engage with issues of gender equity and leadership in the City.

Membership is voluntary and a public service. At least one member of the Working Group will be a member of City Council.

One Councillor and one community member of the Working Group will serve on the Roundtable on Access Equity and Human Rights

Staff Contact

The Staff facilitator for the Working Group on the Status of Women and Gender Equity is:

Cassandra Fernandes
Office of Equity, Diversity and Human Rights Consultant
416-392-3834 or 416-392-8592
email: cfernan1@toronto.ca