PEIThe P.E.I. Advisory Council on the Status of Women has been a voice for gender equality on Prince Edward Island for five decades — and this week, past and present council members came together to mark the milestone, reflecting on the progress made and the work still ahead.Former chair says there has been ‘tremendous’ change over last 5 decadesTaylor O’Brien · CBC News · Posted: Oct 24, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe P.E.I. Advisory Council on the Status of Women is marking a milestone this year — 50 years of providing public education and policy advice on gender equality across the Island. (Taylor O’Brien/CBC)For 50 years, the P.E.I. Advisory Council on the Status of Women has been a voice for gender equality on Prince Edward Island — and on Thursday, past and present council members came together to mark the milestone, reflecting on the progress made and the work still ahead.Dianne Porter, who chaired the council from 1986 to 1989, said there has been “tremendous” progress over the past five decades, such as changes in laws around rape and sexual assault, the legal status for women, and the rights of Indigenous women.“The accomplishments… are based on the energy that women put into it,” she said.The council operates at arm’s length from government to promote gender equality for all Islanders. It was first established in 1975, and its status was formalized through the P.E.I. Advisory Council on the Status of Women Act in 1988. The council is made up of nine Island women.Dianne Porter was the chair of the P.E.I. Advisory Council on the Status of Women from 1986 to 1989. She says credit must be given to the many women who have been involved with the council over the years who have helped make things better for all Islanders. (Taylor O’Brien/CBC)Porter said there are many women who have been involved with the group who have made things better for everyone.“There [are] a lot of unsung heroes in this province,” she said. “They’re all over, and tremendous credit should be given to those women who’ve worked so hard.”Garima Mishra, an advisory council member and vice-chair, said it has been “an honour and quite a journey” to learn about the power that women and the council have.“We have to admit at this point of time, a woman’s perspective, it brings balance in the overall living of everybody, right?” she said.“So we need to have that woman voice across all genres of industries and living.”More diversity and representationMishra said the council has a number of partnerships in place as part of its work to improve diversity, and that diversity is also reflected in the current council members.“That itself shows that we work towards respecting the diversity, that we are having more and more… on the Island,” she said.Garima Mishra, one of the members of the P.E.I. Advisory Council on the Status of Women, says she is honoured to be part of the group during its 50th anniversary, and is proud of the past work it has done for gender equality on the Island. (Taylor O’Brien/CBC)Mishra said the group’s members come from different backgrounds in terms of ethnicity, financial status and education, which helps bring a wide range of perspectives to the council’s work.”They all bring varied challenges that women face, you know, maybe in their workplace, at their homes, in the communities,” she said. “It is very important to have that advocacy and have that voice in place from all… women, I would say, to create awareness.”LISTEN | The P.E.I. Advisory on the Status of Women celebrates 50 years:Island Morning9:04P.E.I. Advisory Council on the Status of Women celebrates 50 yearsThe P.E.I. Advisory Council on the Status of Women is commemorating 50 years of providing public education and policy advice on gender equality across the Island. Program co-ordinator Michelle Jay joins us to reflect on the organization’s accomplishments over the decades and to share details about an event celebrating this milestone.More still to be doneLooking forward, Porter said there are a lot of challenges ahead when it comes to issues like the cost of living and women losing status in the workplace.“There’s a lot of things to watch for very closely during this time of austerity and cutbacks, and that’s the biggest challenge right now as we get into this new era of concern about economics.”Mishra said it’s important to have voices reach the provincial government and provide suggestions on how it can improve while considering challenges women face in their day-to-day life.“I’m glad to be a part of a group that can share their voice,” she said. “I hope that that reaches the public and… the people who make rules and laws.”ABOUT THE AUTHORTaylor O’Brien is a reporter based in Charlottetown. She is a recipient of the 2024 CBC Joan Donaldson Scholarship and has previously reported for CBC in Thunder Bay, Ont. She holds a master of journalism degree from Carleton University. You can contact Taylor by emailing taylor.obrien@cbc.ca.
P.E.I. Advisory Council on the Status of Women marks 50 years of advocating for equality
