Women's Rural Resource Centre of Strathroy and Area

Published purpose

This 30-month project will support a feminist response and recovery from the current impacts of COVID-19, through systemic change. Women's Rural Resource Centre of Strathroy and Area will achieve this by strengthening collaboration across the gender based violence (GBV) ecosystem in the areas of governance, leadership, infrastructure, programs and services; addressing gaps and barriers related to gender based equity and inclusion in policies and procedures; establishing communities of practice and opportunities for collaboration between rural GBV leaders across the region culminating in an inaugural Rural GBV Summit; supporting women with lived experience to amplify their voices and increase participation of rural women and girls impacted by GBV in rural systemic change. 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, supporting positive distribution of authority, voices and decision-making power and increasing networks and collaboration to accelerate systemic change to support women’s equality. This project will work with partners, including Huron Women's Shelter Second Stage Housing and Counselling Services, Optimism Place Stratford, the Centre of Organizational Effectiveness to enroll other community partners from intersecting sectors such as justice, health, poverty/homelessness, social services and education to engage in systemic change initiatives using a GBA+ lens to improve collaboration, address systemic structural barriers, and create inclusive, equity based policies, procedures, practices and programs across the region to decrease gender bases violence.