In December, 2009, OAITH responded to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing as part of a consultation on a Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy in Ontario. Using a historical lens and data from the national Transition Home Survey 2007/2008 and other research data,OAITH provides an analysis of the factors that need to be included in a Housing Strategy to ensure it effectively addressing the challenges of finding affordable housing solutions facing women leaving situations of violence.
In December, 2004, OAITH submitted a response to the Affordable Housing Strategy Stakeholder Consultation process. The response emphasizes the priority that needs to be placed on housing for women and children, who face significant economic and other barriers to accessing adequate housing. Recommendations are made for immediate priority housing of 20,000 new units, addressing specific needs of women in housing development, re-establishment of effective rent control, protecting and enforcing the special priority for abused women, and second stage housing support.
This policy paper was prepared for the Second National Aboriginal Women's Summit II in Yellowknife, NT held from July 29 to 31, 2008. It provides background information for the Summit on the topic of Culturally Relevant Gender Based Analysis (CRGBA). It builds on a previous paper on the topic, and looks at the inadequacies of consultation with government to-date. Despite some positive collaborative processes, legislation and legislative amendments continue to be written without Aboriginal participation and consequently fail to recognize some key issues such as the recognition of Aboriginal and Treaty rights. The paper puts forth recommendations for creating more inclusive, culturally appropriate legislation and policy that reflects the needs, concerns and voices of Aboriginal people.
This practical guide for implementing an integrated, anti-racist, feminist service delivery sysem is designed to support service providers in creating inclusive spaces for women within their organizations, evaluate the work they have done so far. The manual provides a guide to building a step-by-step realistic workplan to make the changes needed in any organization.
This document includes a brief description about the Ontario Native Women's Association. What follows is an analysis of the unique societal barriers that Aboriginal women face compared to the non-Aboriginal population, including domestic violence, human rights violations, housing, poverty and income, Bill C-31, Matrimonial Real Property, and the environment (pollution and destruction of natural resources and land). They reference back to their 1989 study entitled, "Breaking Free: A Proposal for Change to Aboriginal Family Violence".
An initiative of Sisters in Spirit, this resource aims to centralize sources, campaigns and programming to support advocates, service providers, and allies in building and promoting healthy relationships from an Aboriginal perspective. The toolkit provides ideas and strategies for campaigning and advocating in your local community, assisting families with media, police and victim services, and undertaking teaching and training in the classroom and your community.
This OAITH report provides in-depth information and analysis of factors creating risk for women and children in Ontario since 1995. The report targets the Liberal party in particular, calling for a Provincial Action Plan. Looking at key issues of the poverty trap, the inadequacies of social assistance, funding cuts to women's services - including shelters, the report focuses on what government needs to do to provide a safe and secure life for women and children leaving violence. The report incorporates voices of survivors who tell the government what they think directly and clearly. It also examines the 271 recommendations made in Coroner inquests over time as providing a blueprint for action to change women's lives.
This study is a reponse to Voices for Children asking the researchers to examine if children are better off since changes to the Child and Family Services Act in 2000 designed to better protect children were implemented. The study found that many women and their children are getting help where they would not have before the changes, but it also shows how inconsistently women and children are being supported across the various sectors including women's shelters, child welfare agencies, police services, health care, and the legal system. Policy changes have increased awareness of different professionals, but they report that they are not equipped to manage the complex nature of domestic violence cases.
By Anqelique Jenney, Ramona Alaggia, Josephine mazzuca, Melissa Redmond