Centr'Elles : Centre des femmes francophones du Nord-Ouest de l'Ontario

Published purpose

This 30-month project will support a feminist response and recovery from the current impacts of COVID-19, through systemic change. Centr'Elles : Centre des Femmes Francophones du Nord-Ouest de l'Ontario will achieve this by (1) conducting a study on the experiences of Francophone women in Northwestern Ontario during the pandemic and the reality of immigrant, refugee and newcomer women in the region; (2) designing and conducting multi-faceted/topical workshops to engage, consult, educate and train various community stakeholders; (3) creating and implementing a task force to engage community and institutional professionals; (4) presenting the study findings, making recommendations, and coaching community leaders in their implementation; and (5) conducting outreach to local and regional political leaders. At the end of the project, the organization will have contributed to addressing systemic barriers by advancing inclusive policies and practices; encouraging more equitable and effective sharing of resources; increasing networks and collaboration to accelerate systemic change; and addressing persistent harmful gender norms and attitudes to support women’s equality. As part of this project, partner organizations working with Francophone women in Northwestern Ontario will be involved to share their expertise and promote the project to the target populations. Centr'Elles: Centre des Femmes Francophones du Nord-Ouest de l'Ontario will establish other relevant partnerships during the implementation of the project to ensure its success and to help women overcome the impacts of COVID-19.