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February 20th – World Day of Social Justice

Posted on: February 19th, 2014 by Nellie's No Comments

This is just a snapshot of Elena’s day. It’s a day like any other, except that it is February 20^th. Known as the World Day of Social Justice, it aims to draw attention and change to injustices in area of human rights. As we follow Elena in her footsteps, perhaps we can ask ourselves how relevant February 20^th is to us all…

When waking up, Elena automatically reaches to turn on the radio. It’s her daily ritual. Within seconds, her eyes open wide and her heart speeds up. This usually happens only after a shot of espresso.

“Did this really happen?” she says to herself out loud after hearing the coverage of a story recently discovered by the media. According to the news, an unknown woman, who was sleeping in a doorway of a Toronto community agency was sexually assaulted by a young man in the early hours of the morning. A second man sexually assaulted this woman just one hour later. She never moved and did not leave. A security camera captured everything. The video of this event was so clear that both of the perpetrators’ faces were completely visible. Yet, this woman never contacted the police. No one seems to know who she is and there are no leads according to the police in charge of solving this crime. Elena lies in bed mortified as she imagines what this woman went through. She knows that homeless women are ten times more likely to be sexually assaulted compared to women who have a permanent address. As she goes on to brush her teeth, she is thinking about the lack of convictions in sexual assault cases overall and starts to understand why the attacked woman would never bother calling the police. Why is this still happening?

On her way to work, Elena catches her usual bus. She notices a headline of a newspaper being read by another fellow passenger. In bold letters the article is titled: “Have we learned nothing from Ashley Smith’s case?” Elena thinks back to the story of a Canadian teenage girl who faced an unnecessary death and how much this incidence stirred up discussion around criminalization of women with mental health issues. Minutes later, as Elena looks down at today’s free paper that the passenger left behind, she picks it up and reads about another teenage girl called Nichele. The article explains that a twenty something year old Nichele suffers from a life long brain disorder, yet lost count of the times she has been in front of a judge and faced jail time due to her behaviour. Her medical condition should make the justice system respond differently, yet she is treated in the same way as a person who has the mental capacity to make different decisions. Elena stops reading and wonders why in this day and age we still need Social Justice focused rallies pleading for fair treatment of people with mental health issues. Why is this still happening?

Elena steps off the bus and walks towards a coffee shop located minutes away from her work. While in line waiting to order, she overhears a conversation between two women standing ahead of her. They are discussing a documentary called Motherload that was on TV last week. As they share their thoughts of this Canadian made documentary about struggles faced by working mothers, Elena hears one of the women say: “Feminist fight for equality, left Motherhood out of the equation.” With intrigue to hear the meaning of this, she continues listening in… “With all that has changed among women and men in the last 50 years, why do we still follow the traditional gender roles?” Elena knows from seeing it all around that women often work the same amount of hours as men, yet still do most of the childcare and housework. She has previously read that 70 percent of Canadian moms are working moms. They are not just juggling, but struggling. Why is this still happening?

Elena takes a sip of her hot coffee and gets to work before 9am. It is only the morning, but Elena has heard enough to know that the World Day of Social Justice is sadly very relevant. We obviously need more than a reminder and globally address the real issues of poverty, violence and unequal treatment faced by women every day.

October – December 2013 – Communication with Organization

Posted on: February 11th, 2014 by Nellie's No Comments

SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE

The Social Justice Committee ended 2013 with a number of different activities, including three different blog series, a community forum and participation in social justice events. In addition, the Social Justice Committee reviewed the Terms of Reference for the committee, and the Accessibility Committee completed their Terms of Reference and Work Plan for review by the board. The Social Justice Committee also reviewed the calendar dates, which include cultural and social justice days, for the Nellie’s Calendar to be released in January 2014.

The blogs written this quarter covered Women’s History Month, Women Abuse Awareness Month and the December 6^th Vigil. In October, the Women’s History Month blog focused on bringing attention to the women who make a difference in the community who are not always recognized in today’s history books. In November, the Women Abuse Awareness Month blog addressed broadening the definition of violence and including systemic forms of violence that women experience, including poverty, homelessness, racism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism and ableism. The December blog focused on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against through the experience of a woman at the December 6^th vigil.

Nellie’s was also busy this quarter participating in and hosting social justice and community events. In October, two members from the Social Justice Committee attended the Right to Housing Community Forum, which brought together activists, advocates, community workers, policy experts and people with lived experience to discuss the fight for the right to housing. In November, Nellie’s Social Justice Committee hosted a community forum for Woman Abuse Awareness Month called “Women of Nellie’s Speak Out.” The evening was led by the women who participated in the WEAV Group and Women on the Move Group and included a demonstration by Wen Do. The women shared their own stories through poem, song and speeches to raise awareness of violence against women. Nellie’s also attended the December 6^th vigil.

The Social Justice Committee is also looking to conduct research on Best Practices for Social Justice Work. The research will help to identify key issues and trends in Social justice Activism, develop a list of Best Practices for Social Justice Work, inform how Nellie’s engages in Social Justice Work and increase Nellie’s impact on Social Justice Issues in diverse ways. During this quarter, an outline for the project was created, and the Committee is in the process of finding a placement student to conduct the research.

The final newsletter for the year was also completed this quarter. The newsletter looked at how Nellie’s has done Anti-Oppression/Anti-Racism work over the past 40 years and how it continues to be embedded in the organization’s structure, policies and programs. Moving forward into the New Year, the committee brainstormed a list of Social justice themes for the upcoming position paper. Themes included: Criminalization of Women, Immigration, Indigenous Women, Harm Reduction and Gender Expression. We look forward to choosing a theme in the New Year and continuing the work in social justice!

Woman Abuse Awareness Month: Violence in Systems

Posted on: November 7th, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

November is Women Abuse Awareness Month. A month dedicated to awareness of Violence against Women and recognition of the fundamental right of every woman to live in safety in both her home and community. Often, this month focuses on intimate partner abuse. However, Nellie’s understands that violence against women also takes place at a systemic level. It is crucial to recognize the complex connection between the systems and violence in order to advocate for women rights and advocate for social change. Racism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, ableism and other forms of oppression that are perpetuated in systems are all instances of violence against women. Violence may be noticeable and evident, or it could be hidden and subtle, however, it is always destructive.

Existing institutions and systems perpetuate and strongly contribute to creating a prejudicial and unequal environment and to the oppression of all women. In our Women Experiencing Abuse and Violence Support Group, we address the different forms of violence in systems that exist. The Child Welfare System, the Federal Justice System, the Immigration System and Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program, only to name a few, all reinforce violence against women.

– Women in the group discuss unequal treatment from police based on race and class. Racialized women are over-represented in the Federal and Provincial correctional facilities of the country, due to systemic discrimination based on racial and cultural prejudices.

– Women discuss their experiences of silencing and “lack of voice” in the Child Welfare System; including, the violent apprehension of children based on racial and cultural prejudices.

– Women discuss experiencing discrimination due to their social classification in society and are being oppressed because of the stigma attached to their social status.

– Women discuss the restrictive requirement for ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program) and the impacts of living in poverty, including inadequate rates of social assistance.

– According to the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s, “The Facts About Women and Poverty,” Women belonging to specific groups are more at risk of experiencing poverty and homelessness. These include:

– 36% of aboriginal women
– 35% of visible minority women
– 26% of women with disabilities
– 21% of single parent mothers
– 14% of single senior women

Nellie’s is hosting a Women Abuse Awareness Month event that will be held at the Community Outreach Office on the evening of Thursday November 28^th, 2013. The women participating in the programs will be in charge of leading the event, and will also be creating and organizing the activities they want to be a part of. This is an opportunities to outline the strengths of women and raise awareness on women abuse and systemic forms of violence against women.

A Three-Day Symposium on the Right to Housing

Posted on: November 1st, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

Last week, The Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO) organized a three-day symposium on the Right to Housing initiative. ACTO has been involved in the Right to Housing Charter Challenge that went before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice this past May. Please see this article, “Court dismisses landmark Charter challenge on behalf of homeless Canadians” for more details.

The Right to Housing Symposium brought activists, advocates, community workers and people with lived experience together in the same room, over the course of three days to share their insights, ideas, challenges and successes with regard to the fight for the right for housing. The first day, International Strategies for Action: A Right to Housing Community Forum was held on the Ryerson University Campus and was open to the public. Speakers included Miloon Kothari, Ex-UN Rapporteur on Housing from India, Fiona King, a Policy Expert from Shelter Scotland and Rob Robinson, an Activist from Take Back the Land in New York.

The second day, A Road to Home: the Right to Housing in Canada and Around the World, was a full-day event at Daniels Spectrum, where people from all over the world shared their expertise, experience and approaches. The Right to Housing Coalition Session at The Wellesley Institute on the third day brought together policy experts, lawyers, advocates, activists and people who have experienced homelessness and other forms of oppression to discuss, brainstorm and problem-solve around approaches to ending homelessness in Canada.

It was an event that impacted every individual who was involved and will continue to shape the landscape of the Right to Housing initiative for years to come. It was about building community, ideas and strategies for change: about hope, optimism, and a fundamental belief that housing is a human right and we will not give up the fight.

For more information, please visit:

http://righttohousing.wordpress.com

http://www.acto.ca

Celebrating Women’s History Month

Posted on: October 1st, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

In Canada, October is Women’s History Month. It is the month in which we celebrate the notable accomplishments and contributions made by women to our society at large. This year, the Status of Women Canada (SWC) chose the theme, Canadian Women Pioneers: Inspiring Change through Ongoing Leadership, to “highlight the history of women’s participation in various fields, such as science, technology and trades.”

There are many women who have significantly contributed to their fields. Some are famous; some less so. When we think of the remarkable feats accomplished by women, we may think of names like Roberta Bondar, Canada’s first female astronaut, or Agnes Macphail, the first woman elected to the House of Commons. We may also think of women like Dr. Leonara Howard King, the first Canadian doctor to practice medicine in China, or speak of women like Nellie McClung, an activist who fought for the women’s right to vote and run for public office.

Nellie’s Board of Directors at our AGM this year.

Despite the outstanding contributions these women made, let us not forget the women in our own personal histories who have inspired us and enabled change in our own lives. Their stories are passed down to us from clients and members of Nellie’s. They are grandmothers, survivors of war and women of unknown and silent strength. They are mothers, women who single-handedly raised their kids even in conditions of poverty and instability. They are shelter staff members who provide unflagging support to women fleeing homes filled with violence. They are the women continuing our fight for equality, to live lives free of discrimination and oppression.

While October may be the time to celebrate women for their contributions to society, we don’t have to wait until October to pay tribute to women who have inspired us. Beyond the thirty-one days of October, we should celebrate being women, capable of bringing life to this world and making a difference in each other lives. For what better way can we celebrate the achievements of the women who have inspired us than by embracing the fact we are all capable women, able to contribute, in our own way, to the communities we live in and to the society at large.