2020-21 Gender-Based Analysis Plus Reporting

Section 1: Institutional GBA Plus Capacity

The nature of the Canadian Human Rights Commission’s (CHRC) work as Canada's national human rights institution puts us in a unique position. As the grounds of discrimination enumerated in the Canadian Human Rights Act include sex and gender identity or expression, as well as race, religion, age, disability and others, at least 60% of employees have robust expertise in the gender-based and intersectional analysis and assessment. The organization is, therefore, more sensitive to GBA+ issues generally.

As such, we are able to incorporate this knowledge into the Commission's day-to-day operations.

The Commission is committed to ensuring that the differential impacts on diverse groups of people are considered when policies, programs and initiatives are developed. The Commission has a GBA+ champion responsible for the application and monitoring of this approach.

Section 2: Gender and Diversity Impacts, by Program

Core Responsibility: Engagement and Advocacy

Program Name: Promotion Program

Target Population: All Canadians
Other: Not available

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

The Commission through the Office of the Federal Housing Advocate is required to collect disaggregated data based on the legislative need to examine systemic housing issues of the progressive realization of the right to housing in Canada. More specifically, the legislation and National Housing Strategy identifies a need to look at the housing needs of equity seeking populations such as women and children fleeing violence, gender diverse peoples, racialized people, newcomers, seniors, veterans, and people with mental health issues and addictions. Housing submissions will be accepted from the public and identity characteristics will be collected to better understand the housing issues facing equity seeking groups and Canadians more generally. Additionally, the Office commissioned a research report on the Implementation of the Right to Housing for Women, Girls, and Gender Diverse People in Canada.

Intersectionality is one of the key guiding principles of the CHRC's work to monitor the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). In the CHRC's engagement work in 2020-21, participants re-emphasized the importance of taking into account the intersecting identities of persons with disabilities. As such, the CHRC is integrating an intersectional lens into its Action Plan on Monitoring the CRPD.

Core Responsibility: Complaints

Program Name: Protection Program

Target Population: All Canadians

Other:

The Commission met with stakeholders representing racialized people living in Canada and they told us the importance of collecting race-based data. As explained further below, the Commission has since piloted a demographic survey of complainants to better understand the lived reality of our complainants. The full launch of this survey is expected in FY 2021-22. Once in place the Commission will have a better idea of the situation of complainants using the complaints system.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

In March 2020, Commission staff participated in a dialogue session about our complaints services with representatives of racialized communities. The meeting report can be found on the Commission's website. The need for disaggregated data of people who file complaints was identified as a key priority, in order to identify barriers and enhance complaints processing. While this will be integrated into the Commission’s data strategy going forward, over the last year the Commission initiated a project to seek disaggregated demographic data from people who filed complaints on the grounds of race, colour and national or ethnic origin over a one year period (beginning April 1, 2019, and ending March 31, 2020). The Branch has since decided to move ahead with expanding the survey to all individuals filing complaints with the CHRC. This survey should be in place by the end of FY 2021-22.

Target Population: All Canadians

Other:

During engagements on Accessibility this year, the Commission worked with partners to identify new organizations that focus on GBA+ to engage organizations that may not have traditionally been consulted to ensure a wider range of opinions to inform our work.

Similarly, as part of the engagement strategy for proactive pay equity regime, the Commission is engaging with diverse women to better understand how intersectional factors affect their economic outcomes. 

Further, and also in support of the Program Links identified to the Gender Results Framework in Section 3, the Pay Equity Act will have a direct impact on the economic participation and prosperity of diverse groups of women by reducing the gender wage gap in federal regulated workplaces. To amplify this impact, the Pay Equity Division is working directly with workplace parties on tools, resources and training to increase enforcement and compliance. Through educational materials, awareness, outreach and engagement activities, it is anticipated that promoting equal pay for work of equal value and highlighting the negative impacts of occupational segregation and workplace gender stereotypes will promote education and skills development by opening up more diversified educational paths and career choices by shifting public perceptions and social dialogues concerning what is seen as work traditionally done by women and work traditionally done by men. These activities will also have an effect on promoting gender equality in leadership roles by making visible and recognizing the value of work done by women. The Pay Equity Commissioner has actively highlighted the negative impacts of COVID-19 on women’s employment and has promoted pay equity as a measure that will help employers diversify their workforce and build back better. These activities will contribute to poverty reduction measures by helping low income women facing economic challenges and recovering from the pandemic. Speaking at international events such as those put on by the Equal Pay International Coalition, with international colleagues and, working collaboratively with UN Women, the Pay Equity Commissioner is learning and sharing best practices and promoting Canada as a leader in relation to pay equity and gender equality around the world.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for 2020-21.

Section 3: Program Links to Gender Results Framework

Gender Results Framework Pillars: see definitions at the following page: Gender Results Framework - Women and Gender Equality Canada

• Economic Participation and Prosperity
• Leadership and Democratic Participation
• Gender-based Violence and Access to Justice
• Poverty Reduction, Health and Well-Being
• Gender Equality around the World

• Economic Participation and Prosperity
• Leadership and Democratic Participation
• Gender-based Violence and Access to Justice
• Poverty Reduction, Health and Well-Being
• Gender Equality around the World

• Education and Skills Development
• Economic Participation and Prosperity
• Leadership and Democratic Participation
• Gender-based Violence and Access to Justice
• Poverty Reduction, Health and Well-Being
• Gender Equality around the World

Section 4: Program Links to Quality of Life Framework

Quality of Life Domains: See definitions in Annex-5-eng.pdf (budget.gc.ca)

• Prosperity
• Health
• Society
• Good Governance

• Prosperity
• Health
• Society
• Good Governance

• Prosperity
• Health
• Society
• Good Governance