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Status of Women Canada Ministerial Transition Book
Status of Women Canada - Key Stakeholders

To fulfil its mandate, Status of Women Canada works with key stakeholders such as provincial/territorial governments, international partners and non-governmental organizations.

Provinces and Territories

The Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers (FPT) Responsible for the Status of Women is an intergovernmental body established in 1982 to share knowledge and information, and undertake collaborative initiatives related to advancing equality for women and girls. The Forum provides FPT Ministers with a collective and unique opportunity to lead and influence change on current and emerging issues related to women’s equality and the status of women in Canada. The Forum typically focuses on violence against women and girls, women’s economic security, and women in leadership.

Status of Women Canada is the federal chair of the Forum, and co-chairs with a provincial/territorial Minister responsible for the status of women on a rotational basis. The co-chair for the June 2016 meeting is Alberta. As Federal Chair, calls with your PT colleagues would provide an opportunity to discuss issues of mutual interest and, in turn, direct the work of the Forum.

International Fora

Status of Women Canada strategically focuses its international efforts within the United Nations (UN), given the UN’s framework of legally-binding human rights instruments and reporting requirements. These obligations provide support, guidance, and accountability for the advancement of gender equality in Canada. As the Minister of Status of Women, you will lead Canada’s delegation to the annual UN Commission on the Status of Women in March.

Status of Women Canada also works on a limited basis with other departments, governments, and representatives from international organizations to promote gender mainstreaming in multilateral institutions such as the Commonwealth, the Organization of American States (OAS), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as one of the ways to advance domestic policy objectives with respect to gender equality.

Standing Committee on the Status of Women

The Standing Committee on the Status of Women (FEWO) was first struck in the fall of 2004 in the 38th Parliament. Since then, FEWO has examined a range of gender equality issues. In its most recent session (41st Parliament, October 2013 – August 2015), FEWO released reports on eating disorders among girls and women; economic leadership and prosperity; violence against women; sexual harassment in the federal workplace; and women in science, technology, engineering and math. As FEWO is also responsible for reviewing the estimates and supplementary estimates of Status of Women Canada, you will likely be called before the Committee during its next session. You will also have the opportunity to engage with the Committee on key issues you would like to advance.

Other Parliamentary Committees periodically examine issues affecting women. For example, the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration released their report in February 2015 on Strengthening the Protection of Women in our Immigration System.

Non-Governmental Organizations

Status of Women Canada works with a wide range of women’s and other equality seeking organizations in order to advance its priorities. These groups work across the country at local, regional and national levels on a broad range of gender equality issues such as violence against women and girls, women’s economic security, and women’s leadership. Below you will find information about key non-governmental organizations with whom you may wish to meet within the first few weeks of your appointment. In addition to these meetings, you may also wish to meet with or undertake a series of roundtables on pressing or emerging issues with a broader group of stakeholders from across Canada.

Canadian Women’s Foundation (CWF)

Key areas of work: violence, poverty, girls’ empowerment

The CWF is one of Canada’s strongest organizations working to empower women and girls in Canada. In addition to research, the CWF funds a range of programs for women. It is currently receiving funding from the Women’s Program for a project that addresses intimate partner violence across Canada.

President and CEO: Sheherazade Hirji
133 Richmond Street W., Suite 504,
Toronto, ON M5H 2L3
Tel: 416-365-1444
canadianwoman.org

YWCA Canada

Key areas of work: violence, economic security, women’s and girls’ leadership

YWCA Canada is the country’s oldest and largest women's multi-service organization. It is the largest national provider of shelter services to women, serving 25,000 women, children and teen girls each year, including 6,000 fleeing domestic violence. It provides literacy, life skills, employment and counseling programs as well as childcare services. The Women’s Program is currently funding a YWCA project to engage communities in preventing or eliminating cyberviolence against young women and girls across Canada, as well as a project to improve the delivery and coordination of community services for abused women coping with trauma, mental health and substance abuse.

CEO: Paulette Senior
104 Edward St., 1st Floor
Toronto ON M5G 0A7
Tel: 416-962-8881
ywcacanada.ca

Canadian Network of Women’s Shelters and Transition Houses

Key area of work: violence

The Canadian Network of Women’s Shelters and Transition Houses works to ensure women and children receive effective and compassionate support. It recently joined an informal group of academics, non-governmental organizations, trade unions and independent experts to publish a Blueprint for Canada’s National Action Plan on Violence against Women and Girls. The Women’s Program is currently funding a project with the Network to advance the coordination and implementation of services for women and children accessing shelters in Canada.

Board Members: Jan Reimer and Manon Monastesse
116 Albert Street, Suite 803
Ottawa, ON K1P 5G3
Tel: 613-680-5119
endvaw.ca

White Ribbon Campaign

Key area of work: engaging men and boys in violence prevention

The world’s largest movement of men and boys working to end violence against women and girls, White Ribbon positively engages men, young men and boys through educational programming that challenges language and behaviours. The Women’s Program is currently funding a White Ribbon project in which they are working with the Argonauts Football club to deliver a gender-based violence prevention initiative in secondary schools; as well as a second project to build a community of practice to address violence against women and girls by engaging men and boys.

Executive Director: Todd Minerson
36 Eglinton Avenue West
Suite 603
Toronto, ON M4R 1A1
Tel: 416-920-6684
http://www.whiteribbon.ca

Equal Voice

Key area of work: representation of women in elected positions

Equal Voice is the only national organization in Canada that works to achieve equal representation of women in elected political positions at the federal, provincial, territorial and municipal levels. For the past decade, Equal Voice has been tracking the number of women across all levels of governments. Equal Voice is not currently receiving funding from the Women’s Program.

National Chair: Ms. Lynne Hamilton
116 Albert, Suite 810
Ottawa, ON K1P 5G3
Tel: 613-236-0302
info@equalvoice.ca
http://www.equalvoice.ca/

Given that SWC plays a key role in addressing violence against women, including Indigenous women, you may wish to meet with National Aboriginal Organizations (NAOs). The following NAOs participated in the National Roundtable on Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls, held in February 2015.

Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC)

The NWAC works to enhance, promote, and foster the social, economic, cultural and political well-being of First Nations and Métis women through activism, policy analysis and advocacy. Its priorities include finding solutions to violence against women; creating economic development and education opportunities for women; and the protection of women’s rights both nationally and internationally. NWAC has been calling for a national inquiry since the release of their Sisters in Spirit, What their Stories Tell Us Report in 2010, an initiative funded by SWC. NWAC is currently receiving funding from the Women’s Program for a project that provides tools and resources to promote safety and violence prevention for Aboriginal women and girls.

President: Dr. Dawn Lavell
1 Nicholas Street, Suite 900
Ottawa, ON K1N 7B7
Tel: 613-722-3033
nwac.ca

Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada

Pauktuutit addresses a broad range of social, economic, and health issues facing Inuit women at the community, regional, national and international levels. Pauktuutit is currently receiving funding from the Women’s Program for a project to advance Inuit women’s participation in resource extraction industries.

President: Rebecca Kudloo
520 – 1 Nicholas St.
Ottawa, ON K1N 7B7
Tel: 613-238-3977
pauktuutit.ca

Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP)

The CAP is a national representative organization for all off-reserve status and non-status Indians, Métis and Southern Inuit Aboriginal Peoples in Canada, and serves as the national voice for its provincial and territorial affiliate organizations. CAP is currently receiving funding from the Women’s Program for a project to engage men and boys in preventing violence.

National Chief: Dwight Dorey
867 St. Laurent Blvd.
Ottawa, ON K1K 3B1
Tel: 613-747-6022
abo-peoples.org

Assembly of First Nations (AFN)

The AFN is a national organization which advocates on behalf of over 900,000 First Nation citizens living in over 600 First Nation communities, as well as cities and towns across Canada. The AFN has called on the federal government to launch a national inquiry on missing and murdered Aboriginal women, and will be reviewing the government’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report.

National Chief: Perry Bellegarde
55 Metcalfe Street
Suite 1600
Ottawa, ON K1P 6L5
Tel: 613-241-6789
afn.ca

Métis National Council (MNC)

Formed in 1983, the MNC’s central goal is “to secure a healthy space for the Métis Nation’s on-going existence within the Canadian federation.” The MNC is a confederation of five governing members from British Columbia to Ontario and represents the Métis Nation nationally and internationally. In September 2008, the Federal Interlocutor and President of the MNC signed the Métis Nation Protocol, to which the MNC attaches great importance and views as a touchstone guiding its political relationship with the federal government.

President: Clément Chartier
#4 – 340 MacLaren Street
Ottawa, ON, K2P 0M6
Tel: (613) 232-3216
metinations.ca

National Association of Friendship Centers (NAFC)

The NAFC was not part of the group of NAOs that participated in the National Roundtable on Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls, held in February 2015. However, it is one of the key interlocutors with the federal government on Aboriginal issues.

The NAFC is a network of 117 friendship centres from across Canada that provides culturally-enhanced programs and services to urban Aboriginal residents (status and non-status First Nations, Métis, Inuit and non-Aboriginal people). NAFC is currently receiving funding from the Women’s Program to prevent violence against Aboriginal women and girls through the design and delivery of an online mobile platform which will provide culturally relevant information and resources.

President or Chair: Nelson Mayer
275 MacLaren Street
Ottawa, ON K2P 0L9
Tel: 613-563-4844
nafc.ca

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