News and Events >
NB_Status_of_Women_English
Status Report 2010 - Women in New Brunswick online at:
http://www.acswcccf.nb.ca/media/acsw/files/english/2010report/Status%20Report%202010%20English.pdf
The New Brunswick Advisory Council on the Status of Women has
released its Status Report 2010, a statistical profile of women in
New Brunswick.
"While women have not reached equality, and while there are some
areas where there is little change, many things have improved for
women, whether we take a short or a long view," said Chairperson
Elsie Hambrook. "The Advisory Council publishes this Status Report
to ensure that everyone has an accurate picture of the situation -
of the progress and of the problem areas."
Among the good news in the Status Report is an increase in the
percentage of child support payments that are collected.
About 87% of all child support payments due through the New
Brunswick Department of Justice were collected in 2008/09. The rate
was 82% in the previous year. New enforcement measures introduced
by the provincial government in 2008 - particularly the threat of
driver's license suspension - resulted in substantial back payments
on child and family support debt: $315,000 or 24% of arrears due
when new enforcement tool introduced.
There were regulated child care spaces for 19% of New Brunswick
children aged 12 and under in 2009, a significant increase from 7%
in 1996.
"I am particularly pleased to see the increase in the average
wages of trained workers in child care centers," said Ms Hambrook.
"The average salary increased to $14.72/hour from about $7 per hour
in 2001."
The Status Report shows that the pay gap between men and women
in the province closed in 2009, after having worsened during the
two previous years. When hourly wages for all women and men
in New Brunswick are compared, women earned on average 87% of what
men did in 2009. This pay gap of 13% is better than the previous
year, though the situation was even better in 2007 and 2006.
When income from all sources is considered, not just employment,
the income gap between men and women has improved slightly since
2000. Women's average income is $22,875, 67% of men's
($34,321). Aboriginal women have an average income of $17,650.
Among the statistics that bear monitoring, according to the
Advisory Council, is the teen birth rate. It had been decreasing at
least since the 1970s in New Brunswick but has increased for the
second consecutive year. In 2007, there are almost 20 births
per 1,000 teen girls, compared to 16 in 2005. New Brunswick's
teen birth rate is higher
than the national average.
The Status Report notes that the dropout rates of Aboriginal
youth living in First Nations communities and attending public
schools are higher than a decade ago, and more than double the
provincial average. Contrary to the situation for the non
Aboriginal population, the dropout rates for Aboriginal girls are
worse than for boys.
The Report also notes that Aboriginal people and especially
Aboriginal women are largely over-represented among adult offenders
under supervision. The proportion of Aboriginal youth among
the offenders was double their representation in the
population.
There has been little improvement in New Brunswick women's share
of traditional male jobs in the skilled trades, transportation and
equipment operators. In the apprenticeship training programs
in New Brunswick, women make up only 2% of registered apprentices,
the same as a decade ago. In the rest of Canada, the
proportion of female apprentices stands at 11%.
About 9% of employed women in the province are self-employed,
compared to 14% of men and to 12% of women in Canada. The average
self-employment income for N.B. females was $9,600 (59% of N.B.
male's average of $16,100).
The Advisory Council's Status Report notes that nine in ten
people who take parental leave are women in the province.
Only 233 fathers, and 2,810 mothers took parental leave in 2008 in
N.B.
The proportion of women in the Legislative Assembly remains low,
only 13% of the Members of are women. That is the lowest
proportion among Canadian provinces and lower than the high of 18%
we reached in the late 1990s. About 17% of mayors and 28% of
municipal councillors in the province are women.
For more information contact Rosella Melanson, Executive
Director, N.B. Advisory Council on the Status of Women, 506
444-4101; 1-800-332-3087, rosella.melanson@gnb.ca.
|