Gender equality means that every person, regardless of their gender identity, has the same rights, responsibilities and opportunities. While in Canada, every individual is equal and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law, in practice, gender-based inequalities and discrimination persist and are more prevalent among certain groups.
Gains have been made in a number of areas relating to gender equality over the past few decades. For example, women represent the majority of recent post-secondary graduates, and as of January 2025, they represent more than half of senators and nearly one-third of members of Parliament.
However, inequalities remain in a number of areas. In education, women remain the minority among degree holders in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. For example, in the 2021–2022 academic year, women represented 24% of post-secondary students in architecture, engineering and related technologies and 27% of students in mathematics, computer and information sciences.
The gender wage gap, or the difference in earnings between men and women, while smaller than in previous decades, persists and is particularly notable for Indigenous women, immigrant women and women with children.
Women, and particularly Indigenous women, face increased rates of certain types of violence. For example, in 2018, almost half of Indigenous women and girls over 15 years of age self-reported that they had experienced sexual assault in their lifetime. More than one-third of non-Indigenous women reported the same. Experiencing violence can affect an individual’s sense of personal safety, which can lead to feelings of discomfort or fear. Many victims of unwanted sexual behaviour while in public – for example, sexual comments or attention – change their behaviour after the incident, such as avoiding certain places and changing routines.
The federal government has implemented a number of legislative measures to improve gender equality. The Pay Equity Act aims to support progress towards pay equity by requiring employers to provide equal pay for work of equal value. Amendments to the Canada Labour Code have increased benefits for maternity leave, parental leave and compassionate care leave, as well as provided leave of absence for victims of family violence.
Further federal initiatives to support gender equality include developing the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, which aims to prevent gender based violence and supports victims and survivors; allowing individuals who do not identify as female or male to mark “X” on their travel documents; and launching the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, which supports women entrepreneurs by providing venture capital funding and networking and mentorship opportunities.
Read the full text of the HillStudy: Gender Equality in Canada
By Vanessa Preston and Miek van Gaalen, Library of Parliament
Categories: Employment and labour, Executive summary, Law, justice and rights, Social affairs and population