Elizabeth Fry Society of Northwestern Ontario

Published purpose

This 30-month project will support a feminist response and recovery from the current impacts of COVID-19, through systemic change. The Elizabeth Fry Society of Northwestern Ontario will achieve this by performing a local and regional systemic needs assessment of effective decarceration strategies; creating a Northwestern Ontario Feminist Justice Network; fostering relationships with Indigenous communities and partners, establishing effective decarceration outcomes for chronically under-resourced women across Northwestern Ontario through consultation, dissemination, and education; as well as performing ongoing assessments, evaluating the project and creating implementation plans. At the end of the project, the organization will have contributed to addressing systemic barriers by advancing inclusive policies and practices, increasing networks and collaboration to accelerate systemic change, and supporting positive distribution of authority, voices, and decision-making power to support women’s equality. This organization is a member of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies and the Canadian Elizabeth Fry Society of Ontario, which allows them to have the provincial and national support required to advocate for the systemic change required. This project will onboard and target a wide cross-section of partners to expand their network and support their cause, allowing the greatest impact towards their goal.