This report explores the intersection between VAW, substance use and mental health concerns. Key issues emerging based on interviews, questionnaires and other input from women with lived experience of VAW and mental health and/or substance use concerns were divided into 3 key areas: Service Gaps, Funding Gaps, and Policy Gaps. Some of the highlighted issues within each group were:
- Service Gaps - includes lack of integration of services, lack of recognition of the connections among women's concerns, most marginalized women have the most difficulty accessing services
- Funding Gaps - includes funding by different Ministries fro mental health and substance use programs and VAW services, targetted funding undermines holistic approach to deal with multitude of concerns women experience, short-term funding makes partnerships and programming difficult
- Policy Gaps - policy is not violence-informed using a gender-based analysis; many public policies contribute to, rather than reduce, harms to women
This report submitted to Ministry of Indian Affairs and Northern Development on March 9, 2007, describes the results of a three-phase consultation process held to develop a recommendation to the Minister regarding a viable legislative option to address matrimonial real property issues on reserves. The parties involved were Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), and the Native Woman's Association of Canada (NWAC).
This report provides ratings of each strategic framework that was established by the three previous Summits to End Violence Against Aboriginal Women. The strategic goals being evaluated include data collection on VAW in Aboriginal communities, legal reform and legislative change regarding VAW, creation of a comprehensive policy in Ontario, programs designed to address VAW, public education campaign to create awareness, and community leadership.
This report looks at what is needed for economic strategies to deal with the recession and poverty to have positive impacts for women. The paper explores what causes poverty for women and looks at what strategies for addressing women's poverty must include. Key issues covered include: paid employment, wages, and occupational segregation; child care; unpaid labour; EI and social assistance; older women and pensions; and marginalized women.Comparisons are made with other states in the EU and UK.
This guide contains some general information about what types of information are important to contain in policy, how policy and procedures and other documents work together and offers several samples of policy that might be useful to feminist organizations that are looking at policy in regards to contemporary issues affecting our services. The guide is written from an Anti-Oppressive Anti-Racist (ARAO) framework.
In this presentation, the research committee led by Michele Hansen of Huron Women's Shelter, present the findings of the Ontario Shelter Research Project to the Ministry of Community and Social Services. The research project goals were to: develop evidence about shelter services and their effectiveness in improving the lives oaf abused women and children; bring forward first-hand knowledge and experiences of women, shelter workers and related service providers; identify unique contributions made by shleter workers; build knowledge and communication strategies; and develop capacity of the shelter sector for research, evidence-based evaluation, and effective use of research to inform practice. A model of shelters as system navigation hubs resulted from the research, and the range of work done by shelters, much of which is often invisible, is highlighted.
This report looks at rising income inequality in Ontario, which is the worst in Canada. The gap between rich and poor is even wider for marginalized groups. The government just announced upcoming austerity measures that will likely increase the gap. This paper examines how the consequences of policy choices disproportionately affect women, seniors, people with dsiabilities, children, and racialized communities. The goal is to insert these key issues into public debate so that policy begins to reflect the needs of Ontario's poor and turns the tide on the growing gap in wealth.