Gender and Justice Public Forum

A public discussion presented by SFU's Vancity Office of Community Engagement and Pivot Legal Society Is our justice system effectively meeting the needs of women? If not, what are the impacts for women’s safety, security and equality? This session explored the barriers that some say prevent women from having full and equal access to justice system. The session looked at the gendered impacts of the erosion of publicly funded legal aid in BC. The speakers also talked about the roadblocks that prevent women from challenging discriminatory and harmful laws and the structural issues, oversights and prejudices that prevent victims of male violence from engaging with the justice system. We will also take a look at the claims of some men’s rights groups that BC’s courts are biased in favour of women and talk about strategies to promote meaningful, universal and equitable access to justice. A Public Talk by the Honourable Donna Martinson, Retired Justice of the British Columbia Supreme Court and a Deputy Judge of the Yukon Supreme Court with community panellists