WHO WE ARE

REAL Women of Canada is a non-denominational non- partisan organization of women from all walks of life, occupations, social and economic backgrounds.

Our name defines our aims. The word REAL is an acronym which means Realistic, Equal, Active, for Life.

We believe the family is the most important unit in Canadian society. We see the fragmentation of the family as one of the major causes of disorder in society today.

OBJECTIVES

• To reaffirm the family as society's most important unit.
  
  
• To promote the equality, advancement and well-being of women.
  
  
• To promote and defend legislation upholding the Judeo-Christian understanding of marriage and family life.
  
  
• To support government and social policies that make homemaking a viable choice for all women.
  
  
• To support the right to life of all innocent individuals from conception to natural death.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

Women are Individuals.

Women are not all the same. We are individuals, extremely different in our needs and interests. No single group or ideology can represent the views of all women.

REAL Women of Canada is a voice for thousands of women who have a viewpoint different from that of the government-funded feminist groups. This diversity should be seen as an advantage for women and as an indication of our independence and resourcefulness.

EQUALITY FOR WOMEN

Most women agree with the concept of equality for women, but there are different approaches to achieving equality. REAL Women believes the social and economic problems of women can be resolved only by considering the effects on family life and society as a whole. We believe the family, the basic unit in society, is the ideal model to nurture the young, protect the vulnerable and care for the elderly.

CHANGES IN SOCIETY

The traditional roles of homemaker, wife, and mother have dramatically altered as new opportunities have emerged for women outside the home. While great emphasis has been placed on the need for women's equality, the ongoing and important responsibility for family, children and other relationships has been overlooked. The majority of women (90%) want or have children.

Our many options have challenged women to find new ways to combine our roles in society with our personal needs and family responsibilities. A new women's movement became necessary to integrate the requirements of family life into government legislation and policies.

CAREER CHOICES FOR WOMEN

REAL Women supports career choices for women, including the option of remaining at home. Many women subordinate their careers, interests and financial needs of their families, by choosing to remain at home as full-time homemakers. Dedication to the role of motherhood should be encouraged, not discouraged, by tax laws and legislation.

At the very least, government policies should remain neutral on the issue of career choice for women. Public policy should treat women at home and in the workplace equally.

To achieve equality for women, REAL Women recommends:

• A homemaker's tax credit and child tax credits extended to cover low to middle income families to permit flexibility of choice for women.
  
  
• A reduction of tax rates for single-income families, who pay a higher rate than double-income families filing separate returns; or allow income splitting or joint filing for the single-income family.
  
  
• Adjustments for women in the workforce must be made to allow for their family responsibilities. Job sharing, improved benefits for part-time workers, short-term contract work to allow flexible schedules, and home employment are options which need to be supported by government policy.
  
  
• Childcare policy should provide equally for women in the home and in the paid workforce. Parents should be able to choose the kind of child care according to the family's values and the needs of the child. Direct payments to the family would provide child support monies for a parent to be at home or to spend on the day care of their choice.
  

Some people may not agree with our positions, but in a free and democratic country, no organization should suffer discrimination because of its approach or point of view.

TOLERANCE FOR THE VIEWS OF OTHERS

Before women can promote equality, we must first achieve equality among ourselves and this means a tolerance and respect for the differing views of other women. This also means a recognition, not only of the dignity of the individual, but also of the fact that women have always required more than just one voice to speak for our concerns.

REAL Women speaks for women who support the values of traditional family and marriage. Society may change, but its need for strong, stable families remains.

WHAT WE DO

1. REAL Women submits briefs to Parliamentary committees and Royal Commissions on diverse political and social issues affecting women and the family, including divorce, abortion, pornography, child custody and support, family taxation, child care, homosexuality, new medical technologies, drug use, and the definition of marriage.
   
   
2. REAL Women maintains contact with Members of Parliament on issues affecting women and the family.
   
   
3. REAL Women's bi-monthly news publication provides updates and analyses of political and social issues affecting women and the family.
   
   
4. REAL Women has knowledgeable speakers who are available for group presentations, TV, radio and newspaper interviews. We submit articles and letters to the editor as well as monitor media.
   
   
5. REAL Women is involved in court interventions in the Supreme Court of Canada and in provincial courts on family issues, including abortion, disciplining of children, adoption, gay/lesbian couples, homosexuality, and the definition of marriage.
   
   
6. REAL Women attends international conferences addressing issues affecting women and the family.

REAL Women of Canada is an NGO in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. In this regard, we have attended over 30 UN conferences world-wide, including:

• UN 60th session of the Commission on Human Rights Geneva, Switzerland March-April, 2004
  
  
• UN Pre-sessional Meeting of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child Geneva, Switzerland September, 2003
  
  
• UN Pre-sessional Meeting of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child Geneva, Switzerland, April, 2003
  
  
• UN Commission on the Status of Women, New York, March, 2003
  
  
• UN World Summit on Children, New York, 2002
  
  
• UN General Assembly Beijing + 5, New York, June, 2000
  
  
• UN Conference on the Establishment of a Criminal Court,
  Rome, Italy, July 1998
  
  
• Commission on Human Rights, Geneva, Switzerland, April, 1998
  
  
• World Food Summit, Rome, Italy, 1996
  
  
• UN Conference on Human Settlements, Habitat II, Istanbul, Turkey, UN 1996
  
  
• UN Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, China, 1995
  
  
• UN Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), Cairo, Egypt, 1994
  
  
• UN Preparatory Committee Meetings, New York, 1994 to the present
  
  

REAL Women was also involved in the planning of and participated in the World Congress of Families, Mexico City (2004); Geneva, Switzerland (1999); Prague, Czech Republic (1997).

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Membership includes national news publication - REALity and provincial chapter membership.

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