Welcome to NOIVMWC

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

NOIVMWC plays a very important role in making sure that the voice of the target population is heard loud and clear; first on relevant issues that concern the organization and the women it represents and then on the whole range of public issues. Through its various research projects, briefs, position papers and also through its participation in meetings/consultations, the organization continues its endeavour to transform our society by bringing an end to marginalization of immigrant and visible minority women caused by systemic racism and sexism. Some of priority issues that NOIVMWC has addressed in the past, have been briefly described in the following paragraphs:

Health Issues: NOIVMWC has extensively worked and still working on HIV/AIDS, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Reproductive Technologies, Substance Abuse and various other health related issues. The main thrust of all health projects have been to develop alternative strategies in order to bring equality in our health care system.

Youth Issues: The double discrimination of racism and sexism are challenges that, much like adults, young immigrant and visible minority women are also facing. Hence, NOIVMWC has organized youth conference, meetings and workshops in order to give young immigrant and visible minority women a venue for discussing their concerns.

Children: Recently, NOIVMWC has launched a project on Immigrant and Visible Minority Girl Children. This is an initiative to create a community response to eradicate the barriers and systemic discrimination that immigrant and visible minority girl children face. Accessible and high quality Child Care is another advocacy issue for NOIVMWC.

Employment and Labour Market Issues: NOIVMWC, in keeping with one of its mandate to work with all levels of government to improve the status of immigrant and visible minority women, initiated research, data collection, surveys, briefs and position papers on Poverty Profile of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women in Canada, Accreditation and Non-recognition of Foreign Qualifications, Language and Skills Training, Employment Equity, Social Security Reform and Accessibility to Internet.

Justice Issues: NOIVMWC has addressed the various concerns of its target population in this area and worked extensively on Mandatory Charging Policy in the context of Racism and Police Intervention, Racial Discrimination in the Criminal Justice System, Anti-Stalking Law, Judicial Consequences of Female Genital Mutilation in Canada, Racial Equality in the Legal Profession and Restorative Justice.

Immigration, Refugee and Domestic Workers Policy: NOIVMWC deals with this issue on an ongoing basis and constantly emphasizes in its briefs to the federal government the importance of ensuring equality and fairness in the immigration and refugee policies and recognizing the social and economic contribution made by immigrants to the Canadian society.

Violence Against Women: NOIVMWC initiated and completed the very first national research project on violence against immigrant, refugee and visible minority women. It was a community development project with a focus on providing support, establishing networks and developing links with individual women and communities working towards the eradication of violence against women.