Visible Minority Status Disability Status Educational Attainment Region Conclusion 4. Persistently Poor Exiting Poverty Entering Poverty Conclusion 6. In recognition of this, Status of Women Canada instituted the Policy Research Fund in 1996. It supports independent policy research on issues linked to the public policy agenda and in need of gender-based analysis. Our objective is to enhance public debate on gender equality issues, and to enable individuals, organizations, policy makers and policy analysts to participate more effectively in the development of policy.
Funding is awarded through an open, competitive call for proposals.
A non-governmental, external committee plays a key role in identifying policy research priorities, selecting research proposals for funding and evaluating the final reports. Status of Women Canada funded nine research projects on this issue. These projects range from very broad analyses to more focussed studies. Some of the broad areas of policy research undertaken through this call for proposals examine the dynamics of poverty, links between social policy and gender inequality, and frameworks and policy options for reducing women's poverty. Some of the more specific research questions look at links between housing and employment, hidden costs of eldercare, effects of home care, pay equity in Quebec, the relationship between women and the state in Quebec, and retirement incomes.