Bangladeshi-Canadian Community Services

Published purpose

This 18-month project will support a feminist response and recovery from the current impacts of COVID-19 through systemic change. This will be achieved by creating safe spaces to empower 30 racialized women and girls in Toronto east impacted by COVID-19 to become feminist leaders; raising public awareness on the impact of misogyny and gender stereotypes on women’s rights through forum meetings with participants, community leaders and policy makers, a media and social media campaign; and by holding organized dialogues with local MPs, MPPs, City Councillors, and School Trustees. This will lead to positive changes in the attitudes and beliefs of Torontonians; promotion of leadership and equal participation in family, workplace, and community life; an increased leadership role for affected women in challenging misogyny and gender stereotypes; and an expanded role for community women leaders in shaping pandemic recovery responses. The organization will have contributed to addressing systemic barriers by developing networks and collaborations, supporting positive distribution of authority, voice and decision-making, and changing norms and attitudes to support women’s equality. The project will directly benefit 300 racialized women and girls mostly from low-income South Asian communities and indirectly benefit over 20,000 people through media and social media campaigns. Bangladeshi-Canadian Community Services will collaborate with Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services and Council of Agencies Serving South Asians to deliver this project.