Hundreds turned out to show their support for women during an International Women’s Day march in Edmonton and to point the finger at the provincial and federal government for the plight of women.

According to organizers the theme for the local march was Women’s Dignity Lies in the Fight for the Rights of All.

Organized by a self-defined grassroots committee of women including public sector workers and other women who are active in unions as well as anti-war and community activists, the group blamed the federal and provincial PC governments for harming women.

 “When that healthcare, childcare is cut or just never available in the first place it is an extra burden on women to pick up that care and work,” Merryn Edwards said.

Her comments come just days after a report by the Parkland Institute, a research centre located at the University of Alberta, which indicated women in Alberta have been at a disadvantage.

The report claimed that gender income gaps in Alberta are the largest in Canada.

The group says their research indicates changes the Alberta government has made over the last 15 years have left the province in a deficit.

They also say the province has a lack of affordable childcare spaces, which combined with tax changes have encouraged and subsidized women’s unpaid work.

Something protestors told CTV News was unfair.

“You should be paid on your merit and on your work ethic and on what you know, what you bring to the job and gender should not be dictating what that person is paid,” Denise Nadeau said.

A report by the World Economic Forum has put Canada in 19th place in a global rating of gender equality.

The Global Gender Gap Index 2014 puts Iceland, Finland and Norway at the top of the list while Canada is ranked above the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.

Countries at the bottom of the list include Yemen, Pakistan and Chad.

According to the report Canadian men earn $40,000 for a job while women earn $32,916.

The report also indicated poor statistics when it came to health outcomes and life expectancy.

With files from Amanda Anderson