Activists have called on Canadian leaders to introduce concrete policies to confront discrimination against women and girls after the country fell from first to 25th in the United Nation’s gender equality ranking. Historically, the United Nations’ work toward gender equality has included an annual Gender Inequality Index, an international ranking in which Canada has steadily fallen. In 1995, Canada held the top spot, but has fallen to 25th over the last 20 years. “We’re looking to the new government that’s taken over, who has made lots of promises around women’s equality,” said Kasari Govender, executive director of the West Coast Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (Leaf). The groups were especially critical of the Canadian government’s failure to serve the needs of indigenous women.

Source: The Guardian October 26, 2016 10:30 UTC