The Canadian Center for Women’s Empowerment (CCFWE) is an organization dedicated to helping survivors of all forms of economic abuse and recently, their founder and CEO Meseret Haileyesus, was recognized at the Governor General’s Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case.
The Governor General’s Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case were introduced in 1979 to commemorate the 1929 Supreme Court of Canada decision in Edwards v. Canada which found that the word “person” legally applied to both men and women in Canada. The case was brought by five women, known as the Famous Five, who were Henrietta Muir Edwards, Nellie McLung, Louise McKinney, Emily Murphy, and Irene Parlby.
“These annual Awards honour individuals who have made outstanding contributions to advancing equality for women and girls in Canada. Recipients come from all regions and all walks of life, and they carry forward the legacy of courage, integrity, and determination exemplified by the Famous Five,” reads a statement on the Government of Canada website.
Shining a light on economic oppression
Economic inequality remains an ongoing barrier to women and issues like the gap in pay between men and women can leave women open to other forms of economic abuse.
A report from the Canadian Human Rights Commission found that women earned $0.87 for every $1 earned by men in 2024.
Haileyesus said that her reception of the Governor General’s Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case highlights the importance of the work of the CCFWE and how there is still much work to be done.
“I believe I was chosen because my work addresses the very distinct forms of economic hardship,” Haileyesus said in an interview with rabble.ca.
For Haileyesus, being recognized with this award was a deep personal honour as well as motivation to continue the fight for economic justice.
“I was so blown away and then shocked. I had a tear of joy,” she said. “So, for me personally, I feel incredibly humble and grateful, and this is very personal. As a Black woman, it was not always easy to work for systemic change, especially in the financial industry. It’s a very proud moment in my personal life and then of course it gives me also an energy to keep pushing for systemic change, financial equity, and for stronger financial policy in this country.”
Code of conduct to prevent economic abuse
The Liberal government introduced a Code of Conduct for the Prevention of Economic Abuse. This code sets clear expectations for federally regulated banks on the detection and prevention of economic abuse, and is something that Haileyesus has been advocating for for many years.
“For the first time in Canadian history these forms of economic violence are now recognized in the federal budget this year,” she said. “Me and my team worked with the government and banks to develop different kinds of policies to ensure that financial institutions can identify and prevent and respond to economic harm.”
Economic abuse can come in many forms, in addition to fraud and scams, it can also present as a person who is prevented from accessing their own money by a partner; or as someone who is prevented from working and earning money.
Economic abuse is present in 96 per cent of all domestic abuse cases.
“Economic abuse is the most hidden, under-recorded, under-reported form of violence, and the most critical barrier for a woman to leave an abusive relationship,” Haileyesus said. “If a woman wants to leave, even to detangle assets and bank accounts, our financial institution are not designed to provide support to women who want to do that.”
Haileyesus was invited by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne to make a keynote address to the House of Commons prior to the introduction of the budget.
November 26 is Economic Abuse Awareness Day and Haileyesus said that she was proud that Canada was taking historic steps forward on this issue to protect women.
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Nick Seebruch, editor
