As a global celebration, International Women’s Day provides us with the opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the status of women both at home and around the world. At home in Toronto and here at Nellie’s one of the ways we acknowledge International Women’s Day as a day of solidarity with our allies and friends working to end Violence and all forms of oppression against Women. This is why:
In 2011 at Nellie’s…
– 137 women and 24 children accessed shelter services
– 260 women sought support through our Housing Access Programs
– 249 women joined us at Nellie’s events
– 2025 women called our 24-hour crisis line
Tomorrow, Saturday March 3rd Nellie’s is participating in International Women’s Day Toronto. This event will begin at 11:00am with a rally at OISE (252 Bloor Street W). At 1:00pm participants will march to Ryerson University and at 2:00pm there will be a celebration and fair at the Ryerson Student Centre (55 Gould St). The theme for this year’s event is “Reclaim our City: Good Jobs, Services, Dignity. Together we are Stronger.”
Nellie’s is proud to participate in this event with many other women’s organizations around the city including: The Ryerson Women’s Centre, The North York Women’s Shelter, and YWCA Toronto. If you’re at the fair on Saturday, please make sure to come by the Nellie’s booth to say hi!
In addition, here are some other great events happening in the city to Celebrate IWD!
– Exposed: The Female Perspective & Voices – Art Show celebrating IWD at Steam Whistle Brewery. Show runs all of March. Details here.
– The Centre for Women’s Studies in Education presents The F Word. Performances March 8th-11th at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Details here.
– Screening of Miss Representation film followed by panel discussion at U of T Hart House, March 8th. Details here.
– Gender at the Crossroads: Women and Culture at the Centre of a Changing Southeast Asia exhibit and talk at Art Square Gallery, March 8th. Details here.
However you choose to celebrate, we hope your International Women’s Day is a great one!
