ORGANIZATIONS/COALITIONS
This section contains links to local and national women's organizations, and coalitions of women's organizations in Canada and elsewhere. Some focus on providing services, some on advocacy and some on both. This information is presented in alphabetical order.

Advocates for Community-Based Training and Education for Women (www.actew.org/lft) (ACTEW) is a provincial umbrella group which promotes community-based training opportunities for women. ACTEW’s members provide services that enable and empower women to gain and retain quality employment. Though this site might seem more like a resource for people who actually do community-based training and not those who are in need of it, you will still find a jobs and events database, links to community organizations that provide training, and a searchable database of resources on the subjects of women and employment, and women and information technology.

The Association for Women's Rights in Development (www.awid.org) (AWID) is an international organization connecting, informing and mobilizing people and organizations committed to achieving gender equality, sustainable development and women's human rights. AWID's goal is to facilitate policy, institutional and individual change that will improve the lives of women and girls everywhere. AWID encourages ongoing debates on fundamental and provocative issues and builds the individual and organizational capacities of those working for women's empowerment and social justice. Their four areas of interest are feminist organizational development; gender equality and new technologies; women's rights and economic change, and young women and leadership. On this site, you will find links, publications, and job opportunities in these areas.

The Business and Professional Women's Organization (www.bpwcanada.com) is the national organization in Canada whose primary concern is the education, employment and economic status of employed women. On this site you will find information about the on-going equal-pay for equal-work campaign, campaigns to motivate and support young women in business and the professions, a newsletter, useful links to local chapters and more.

Campaign 2000 (www.campaign2000.ca) is a non-partisan coalition of 25 National Partners and a Canada-wide network of 37 Community Partners who came together to build Canadian awareness and support for the 1989 all-party House of Commons resolution to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000. Clearly the Federal Government of Canada did not manage to eradicate child poverty in this country by the year 2000. The Campaign 2000 continues to publish a yearly report card on child poverty in Canada, and to publicize its 1999 recommendations to the government. On this site, you will find the report cards and a large inventory of relevant links and articles.

The Canadian Abortion Rights Action League (www.caral.ca) is Canada's pro-choice, volunteer organization working exclusively to ensure that all women have total reproductive freedom to exercise the right to safe, accessible abortion. On this site you will find information about Canadian women’s right to a clean and safe abortion, alternatives to abortion, the medical procedures involved in abortion and information about counseling.

The Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres (www.casac.ca) is a Pan Canadian group of sexual assault centres who have come together to implement the legal, social and attitudinal changes necessary to prevent, and ultimately eradicate, rape and sexual assault. The site is bilingual and contains useful links to dozens of women’s sexual assault centres across Canada. This site also contains articles about the politically-charged issue women’s rights to “women’s only space” versus transsexual and transgender rights to self-definition.

The Canadian Congress for Learning Opportunities for Women (http://www.nald.ca/cclow.htm) is a national feminist organization dedicated to addressing education and training issues for girls and women. Their vision is women's social, political and economic equality through expanded learning opportunities. Key focus areas are literacy, equity in education and job training. On this site, you will find key dates in CCLOW's history, research papers on technologies and women's learning, gender based analysis and the public interest in child care.

The Canadian Federation of University Women (www.cfuw.org/english/index.html) is a voluntary, nonpartisan, non-profit, self-funded bilingual organization of 10,000 women university graduates. CFUW members are active in public affairs, work to raise the social, economic, and legal status of women, and to improve education, the environment, peace, justice and human rights. On this site, you will find information about CFUW chapters across Canada.

The Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (www.criaw-icref.ca) (CRIAW) is a national, not-for-profit organization committed to advancing women’s equality through research. Founded in 1976, CRIAW is a bilingual, membership-based organization which bridges the gap between the community and academe, and between research and action. On this site you will find scholarships, a database of feminist researchers, research documents and links to other women’s organizations.

The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (www.interlog.com/~vow) (VOW) focusses on peace, social justice, human rights and development and targets the United Nations and the Federal Government of Canada. An accredited non-governmental organization to the United Nations, affiliated to the Department of Public Information (DPI) and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), VOW was the Canadian lead group for peace at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing (1995). On this site,you will find many links to United Nations documents on the status of women in the world especially relating to war.

The Canadian Women's Internet Directory (directory.womenspace.ca) is an initiative of Womenspace Association that links users with Canadian women's equality resources online. On the site you can search an extensive listing of over 1000 Canadian organizations (directory.womenspace.ca/links/search.cgi?query=organization) on women’s equality work in the areas of women's perspectives, debates, campaigns, activism, creativity, services, research and policy issues. Simple to search and links are well-maintained.

The Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Ontario (www.web.ca/clgro) (CLGRO) is an organization composed of groups and individuals who are committed to working towards bisexual, lesbian, and gay liberation by engaging in public struggle for full human rights, by promoting diversity and access, and by strengthening cooperative networks for lesbian, gay, and bisexual activism. The site contains relevant statistics and documents about bisexual, lesbian, and gay liberation in Ontario

The Council of Canadians (www.canadians.org) is a citizens' watchdog organization, comprised of over 100,000 members and more than 70 chapters across the country. Strictly non-partisan, the Council lobbies Members of Parliament, conducts research, and runs national campaigns about safeguarding Canadian social programs, promoting economic justice, renewing our democracy, asserting Canadian sovereignty, advancing alternatives to corporate-style free trade, and preserving our environment. On this site you will find calls to action, detailed information on the Council of Canadians campaigns in the areas of biotechnology (eg: genetically engineered foods and getting them off our shelves); health, and trade.

The Disabled Women's Network of Canada (www.dawncanada.net) (DAWN Canada) is a national feminist organization controlled by and comprised of women with disabilities. DAWN works for the self-determination of women with disabilities and to end the stereotype that labels people with disabilities as dependent burdens on society. You will find research materials and useful links about disability issues on this site.

The Elizabeth Fry Society (www.elizabethfry.ca) is a federation of autonomous societies that work with, and on behalf of, women involved with the justice system, particularly women in conflict with the law. Elizabeth Fry Societies are community-based agencies dedicated to offering services and programs to marginalized women, advocating for legislative and administrative reform and offering forums within which the public may be informed about, and participate in, aspects of the justice system which affect women. On this site you will find statistics, publications and links to Elizabeth Fry Societies across Canada.

Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere (www.egale.ca) (Egale) is a bilingual national organization committed to advancing equality and justice for lesbians, gays and bisexuals at the federal level. Egale lobbies the federal government directly through campaigns for same-sex rights and noteably, by ‘adopting’ an MP: activists choose a Member of Parliament to contact repeatedly on particular issues. Egale also does research, supports the campaigns of individual activists and announces news about same-sex rights in Canada on their website.

Equality Now (www.equalitynow.org) is an international human rights organization dedicated to action for the civil, political, economic and social rights of girls and women. Taking advantage of both traditional and "high-tech" action techniques such as letter-writing and fax campaigns, video witnessing, media events and public information activities, Equality Now mobilizes action on behalf of individual women whose rights are being violated and promotes women's rights at local, national and international levels. Although largely an American site, it offers stories about women and human rights and provides the contacts of the relevant authorities to write in protest.

European and North American WomenAction (www.enawa.org) is a network of media, technology information and advocacy organizations working to strengthen and integrate a feminist analysis in the information and media landscape in relation to social movements and the women's movement in Europe, North America and the world. On this site you will find news about women’s fight for equality in dozens of countries, announcements for conferences on-line and in real time all over the world on the subject of gender and information technology, and research reports prepared by ENAWA as well as many other supporting feminist organizations. Some parts of the site are in French as well as English.

La Fédération des femmes du Québec (www.ffq.qc.ca) (FFQ) travaille solidairement, et dans une perspective féministe, à l'accès des femmes à l'égalité, à l'équité, à la dignité et à la justice sociale dans tous les domaines. Ses objectifs généraux consistent à promouvoir et à défendre les intérêts et les droits des femmes, en assumant un rôle de critique, de concertation et de pression. La FFQ est l’organisme féministe le plus reconnu au Québec. Sur ce site on retrouve des nouvelles à propos la lutte contre la mondialisation néolibérale, la pauvreté, la violence envers les femmes et toutes les formes de discrimination envers les femmes.

FemAid (www.femaid.org) is an unaffiliated, independent, non-profit organization run by a team of women in Paris, France. The group includes a teacher, a novelist, a journalist, an art historian and an anthropologist who have worked in humanitarian aid, in particular in war zones. They act as an information provider for those who wish to send aid in the form of supplies, donations and other assistance to women’s organizations worldwide. On the site, you will find information about the organizations FemAid supports and directives for sending aid.

The Franco-American Women's Institute (www.fawi.net) (FAWI) is a US-based women's organization which promotes francophone women’s voices in North America. FAWI is an on line space for Daughters, mamans, and mémères, Franco-American women--Québécois, Acadian, Métis, and Mixed Blood. On this site, you will find research resources in both French and English including bibliographies on francophone identity and culture, and a great e-zine.

Girls Incorporated (www.girlsinc.org) is a US based nonprofit youth organization dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold, especially in the areas of math, science, and sport. For over 55 years, Girls Inc has provided innovative educational programs to millions of American girls, particularly those in high-risk, under-served areas. Such programs help girls confront subtle societal messages about their value and potential, and prepare them to lead successful, independent, and fulfilling lives. The site is geared to different age groups and is easy to navigate.

The International Foundation for Gender Education (www.ifge.org/websites/group1.htm) (IFGE) is an advocate and educational organization for promoting the self-definition and free expression of individual gender identity. IFGE is an information provider and clearinghouse for referrals about all things which are transgressive of established social gender norms. On this site you will find information about the organizational side of IFGE and links to what is claimed to be the most complete bookstore on the subject of transgenderism available anywhere. It also publishes an on-line magazine providing discussion of issues of gender expression and identity, including crossdressing, transsexualism, FTM and MTF issues regarding health, family, medical, legal, and workplace issues.

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission’s (www.IGLHRC.org) (IGLHRC) mission is to protect and advance the human rights of all people and communities subject to discrimination or abuse on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status. A US based non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO), IGLHRC responds to such human rights violations around the world through documentation, advocacy, coalition building, public education, and technical assistance. On this site, you will find news, articles, and other information in support of the rights of people worldwide to define their own sexualities and gender identities, and the efforts of individuals and groups to organize to create societies free from heterosexism and homophobia.

The International Lesbian and Gay Association (www.ilga.org) is a world-wide federation of national and international groups dedicated to achieving equal rights for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people everywhere. On this site you will find calls to action in the international campaign for the human rights of gays and lesbians, news updates, surveys country by country (some are incomplete) of the rights of gays, lesbians, and transgendered people, and resources for further research.

Isis International Manila (www.isiswomen.org) is a feminist non-governmental organization dedicated to women’s information and communication needs. Their focus is the advancement of women’s rights, leadership and empowerment in Asia and the Pacific. Isis was one of many women’s organizations to broadcast reports from the United Nations conference on the elimination of racism in Durban 2001. It also manages a number of electronic mailing lists on South-South initiatives and maintains an electronic mailing list as a ‘south-south’ initiative (south-genderlist-en@isiswomen.org).

Madre (www.madre.org) is a US based women’s human rights organization that works in partnership with women’s community-based groups in conflict areas worldwide to address issues of health, education, economic development and other human rights. MADRE provides resources and training to enable women’s organizations to meet immediate needs in their communities and develop long-term solutions to the crises they face. Since 1983, Madre has delivered over 18 million dollars worth of support to community-based women’s groups in Central America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa, the Balkans and the United States. On this site you will find information about women’s human rights worldwide.

The Maquila Solidarity Network (www.maquilasolidarity.org) (MSN) is a Canadian network promoting solidarity with groups in Mexico, Central America, and Asia organizing in maquiladora factories and export processing zones to improve conditions and win a living wage. In a global economy, they argue, it is essential that groups in the North and South work together for employment with dignity, fair wages and working conditions, and healthy workplaces and communities. On this site you will find news updates on the activities of Canadian companies in Mexico, Central America, and Asia, calls to action and international links.

Media Watch (http://www.mediawatch.ca/) monitors television, print advertising and billboards all across Canada and provides media literacy publications and workshops to industry, government, students, teachers, parents ad community groups.

The Million Mom March (www.millionmommarch.org) is dedicated to preventing gun death and injury and supporting victims and survivors of gun violence in the United States. On Mother's Day 2000, more than 750,000 people marched in Washington, D.C. and tens of thousands of others marched in towns across America, to demonstrate their support for sensible gun laws. On their site, you will find information about their affiliates, actions, and news about their supporters and their detractors in the American gun lobby.

The National Action Committee on the Status of Women (www.nac-cca.ca) (NAC) is the largest feminist organization in Canada. A coalition of more than 700 member groups, NAC has been fighting for women's equality for over 27 years. NAC has achieved change in Canada (or is still lobbying) in key policy areas such as childcare; disability rights; health; Aboriginal women’s rights; violence; francophone rights and lesbian rights. On this site, you will find calls to action for current campaigns, a site for young women’s activism, a newsletter, research publications, and more.

The National Anti-Poverty Organization (www.napo-onap.ca) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that represents the interests of low-income Canadians. The site provides a newsletter, stats and facts, publications, and ways to get involved.

The National Association of Women and the Law (http://www.nawl.ca/) is a Canadian non-profit organization that has worked to improve the legal status of women in Canada since 1974. It promotes equality rights through legal education, research and law reform advocacy. NAWL's public education program raises awareness about women's rights and the annual essay contest encourages post-secondary women to study law and women's equality issues. On this site, you will find many documents on legal issues and cases currently before the courts.

The National Council of Women of Canada (www.ncwc.ca) is among the oldest women’s organization in Canada. Their objective is to influence political decision-making and public attitudes for the well-being of society, through education and advocacy. Here you will find their mission statement and links to many Local and Provincial Councils of Women.

The Native Women's Association of Canada (www.nwac-hq.org/index.htm) seeks to empower Aboriginal women by pressuring to change legislation which affects them, and by involving them in the development and delivery of programs promoting equal opportunity. On this site, you will find information about NWAC's youth programme, scholarships, a health programme on Aboriginal diabetes and career opportunities for Aboriginal people. This site is easy to navigate.

NetFemmes (netfemmes.cdeacf.ca) est un réseau pour et par les femmes, mis sur pied par le Centre de documentation sur l'éducation des adultes et la condition féminine (CDÉACF), organisme à but non lucratif dont la mission est la démocratisation des savoirs et la promotion des savoirs faire des réseaux de l'éducation des adultes et de la condition féminine, et développé en étroite collaboration avec les regroupements nationaux de groupes de femmes du Québec et le Réseau Québécois de chercheuses féministes.

The Network of East-West Women (www.neww.org) (NEWW) links women across national and regional boundaries to share resources, knowledge and skills. NEWW's mission is to empower women and girls throughout the East (Central and Eastern Europe, and NIS and the Russian Federation) and the West by dialogue, networking, campaigns, and educational and informational exchanges. NEWW supports action and joint projects inspired by feminist principles. On this page, you will find links to human rights pages and conference listings world wide. Most interesting are the individual pages of member countries whose sites list issues of regional importance.

The Ontario Women’s Justice Network (www.owjn.org) provides an online legal resource for women's organizations and individuals working on issues related to justice and violence against women and children. You will find information about various justice issues, such as sexual assault and partner abuse, a glossary of legal terms and commentary on laws and court cases pertaining to women's experiences, as well as links to other on-line resources. Women's organizations across the province are invited to include announcements in the What's New section. The Take Action section of this site offers a variety of opportunities to respond to violence.

The Pauktuutit Inuit Women's Association (www.pauktuutit.on.ca) is the national non-profit association representing all Inuit women in Canada. Its mandate is to foster a greater awareness of the needs of Inuit women, and to encourage their participation in community, regional and national concerns in relation to social, cultural and economic development. Pauktuutit Inuit Women’s Association is currently involved in the establishment of an Inuit-specific HIV/AIDS network to address HIV/AIDS at the community, regional and national levels, among other critical initiatives. On this site you will find links (www.pauktuutit.on.ca/links/main.html) to some of the major Inuit Associations in Canada, news, as well as information about other initiatives.

Les Pénélopes (www.penelopes.org) ont pour but de promouvoir, d'éditer et de diffuser des informations, utilisant tous types de médias, du point de vue des femmes et de favoriser toutes activités assurant l'échange, le traitement, la mise à jour, la centralisation et la diffusion de ces informations en faveur de toutes les femmes du monde. Le projet des Pénélopes est de s'affirmer comme des conceptrices et des utilisatrices des nouvelles technologies de communication, assurer la visibilité de toutes les initiatives portées par les femmes, établir des passerelles entre toutes les femmes du monde, multiplier les réseaux et tricoter à plusieurs un jacquard multiculturel. Sur ce site Français on retrouve divers nouvelles et informations à propos le technologie.

Pussy Palace Toronto (www.pussypalacetoronto.com) is a women’s bathhouse, a sex-positive social event that takes place bi-yearly at a local bathhouse in Toronto. Women and trans people are welcome at the event. Bathhouses in contemporary times have usually been a place where gay men meet to socialize and have sex. The Pussy Palace Toronto events and others like it in other cities are one of the most sex-positive expressions of women’s sexuality and activism to come out of the women’s movement yet. The site contains information about the event itself including bathhouse etiquette, an idea of what to expect at a bathhouse, erotica, links to other sex-positive organizations and businesses, and news articles about the media coverage of the women’s bathhouse raid by police in 2000.

Le Réseau national d'action éducation femmes (www.rnaef.ca) (RNAÉF) œuvre à améliorer les conditions de vie des femmes francophones, particulièrement celles vivant en situation minoritaire au Canada, par l'entremise de l'éducation sous toutes ses formes. Elle veulent obtenir des changements sociaux et économiques qui apporteront une société égalitaire et équitable en privilégiant chez les femmes francophones du Canada, et de privilégier l'éducation en français sous toutes ses formes pour améliorer les conditions de vie des femmes francophones. Sur ce site on retrouve des informations à propos tous les programmes au Canada qui offrent de l’enseignement en français et un bibliographie annotée des resources francophones.

The Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan (www.rawa.org) (RAWA) was established in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1977 as an independent political organization of Afghan women fighting for human rights and for social justice in Afghanistan. RAWA’s objective was to involve an increasing number of Afghan women in social and political activities aimed at acquiring women’s human rights and contributing to the struggle for the establishment of a government based on democratic and secular values in Afghanistan. Despite the suffocating political atmosphere, RAWA very soon became involved in widespread activities in different socio-political arenas including education, health and income generation as well as political agitation. Among many other topics, on this site you will find media coverage of RAWA’s activities in the refugee camps in Pakistan, political and social histories of women in Afghanistan and information on how to send aid to RAWA.

Sluts Against Butts (www.slutsagainstbutts.com) is a guerilla action group which works to hold the tobacco industry responsible for what it does to women. They argue that the corporate establishment encourages self-destructive rebellion like smoking and starvation among women and girls. If you are curious about how feminists go about fighting this, or what you can do to fight back, check out this feisty site.

The Sisterhood Is Global Institute (www.sigi.org) (SIGI) is an international non-governmental, non-profit organization dedicated to the support and promotion of women's rights at the local, national, regional, and global levels. SIGI works toward empowering women and developing leadership through human rights education. On their site you will find evidence of their membership in 70 countries, news, calls to action, links, and a helpful and detailed history of their organization.

Survivor Project (www.survivorproject.org) is a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing the needs of intersex and trans survivors of domestic and sexual violence through caring action, education and expanding access to resources and to opportunities for action. The organization provides presentations, workshops, consultation, materials, information and referrals to many anti-violence organizations and universities mainly in the United States as well as gathers information about issues faced by intersex and trans survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Some information on the website may be dated but this is still an almost unique and very helpful source of information on the topic of gender violence.

The Vancouver Rape Relief Shelter (www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca) in British Columbia provides services directly to women who have experienced rape and other forms of assault. On this site you will find current links to Canadian media about violence against women, information about counseling and some links to other shelters in Canada. The site also has position papers and news articles in the Issues (www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca/issues/issues.html) page about the Kimberly Nixon human rights case.

The Wellesley Centers for Women (wcwonline.org/resources-links.html) (WCW) provides links to many women’s organizations in the United States.

Women in Trades and Technology (http://www.wittnn.com/) is an education and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting and assisting in the recruitment, training, and retention of women in trades, technology, operations and blue collar work. It provides employer resources, curriculum products, consulting services, training, mentoring, and workshops. On this site, you can find out about their projects in construction technology for women, employment equity, and employment retention; the site also offers a special section on apprenticeships and links for girls interested in technology.

The Women's Inter-Church Council of Canada (www.wicc.org) (WICC) traces its beginnings to 1918 when representatives of the Women's Missionary Boards of several churches came together to dialogue and find ways of promoting "the spread of Christ's kingdom by united prayer, united action and a stronger voice in national questions." WICC invites Christian women to experience working ecumenically; to share spirituality; to organize around concerns as women, and to take action together for social justice and human rights. The WICC has a variety of campaigns and activities including the work of missions overseas and lots of links to church organizations in Canada.

The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (www.wilpf.org) (WILPF) works to create an environment of political, economic, social and psychological freedom for all members of the human community. It campaigns against the death penalty in the United States; against the current American War on Drugs, and for peace in the Middle-East. On this site, you will find a wide range of documents related to WILP’s work, position papers and useful links.

The Women's World Organization for Rights, Literature and Development (www.wworld.org), or Women's WORLD, exists because they write ‘nowhere on earth are women's voices given the same respect as men's’. Women's WORLD affiliates primarily with Femrite, an association of Ugandan women writers founded in 1996, and with WEAVE, a black women's writing and publishing collective in Capetown, South Africa. They also manage an extensive page of publications on Peace in the Middle East and write that ‘We agree with the Israelis and Palestinians who say that ending the occupation is a precondition for any realistic peace process.’ On this site, you will find links to literary works by women from these organizations, information on human rights and an extensive archive of literary works.