Summary

WomanACT is a charitable Canadian organization dedicated to ending violence against women through systemic change.

They developed this Brief to analyze how racial and gender discrimination intersect and compound to impact employment opportunities and experiences for Indigenous, Black, and Racialized women in Canada. For example, it details how intimate partner violence disrupts job stability – affecting focus, attendance, and security – and how employment sabotage, such as transportation interference, further limits survivors' economic independence.

Policy & Practice Implications

• The brief offers employers an opportunity to improve awareness and deepen their understanding of colonialism, structural racism, and gender discrimination, enabling them to better support Indigenous, Black, and Racialized women in achieving success, stability, and advancement in their careers.
• Understanding the effects of sexual harassment and domestic violence on employment for Indigenous, Black, and Racialized women can help employers in the process of creating anti-racist, anti-oppressive workplaces.
• Policymakers and organizational leaders can learn and draw from the brief’s disaggregated data to advocate for policies that promote equitable employment opportunities and safer work environments.

Image source: https://womanact.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Race-and-Gender-in-the-Workplace-a-Backgrounder.pdf