Healing Gaia

Celebrate International Women's Day

Women at the Centre invites everyone to join the campaign to eradicate violence against women.

By Doreen Nicoll
Published February 26, 2014

On Saturday, March 8, and the week leading up to International Women's Day, women and men around the world will be holding events celebrating the theme of inspiring change.

I'll be taking my daughters to a luncheon at which keynote speaker Mariatu Kamara will inspire us with tales of her incredible journey from wartorn Sierra Leone to Toronto as told in her book, The Bite of the Mango.

My sons will get the customary email from me including the link to the video: This is What a Feminist Looks Like. I owe it to my sons, their future partners, and women around the world to make sure they embrace their feminist side and acknowledge that women's rights are human rights.

Women at the Centre

I have had many epiphanies throughout my life that have inspired change. Most recently, joining Women at the Centre has been my impetus for change. The members of this non-profit organization are survivors of all forms of gendered violence.

Women at the Centre would like to extend an invitation to the women of Hamilton who have survived financial, emotional, psychological, social, spiritual, physical or sexual abuse to join us in eradicating violence against women.

Women at the Centre is offering a free e-learning program called Silent No More to women who have experienced gendered violence. This 12-week course helps women understand the historical and cultural roots of gendered violence, identify how Hamilton is responding to violence against women, and develop tools to engage in meaningful advocacy work to effect change in Hamilton.

On International Women's Day, let Women at the Centre be the inspiration for change in your life and your Hamilton.

Contact me at doreen@womenatthecentre.com for more information about Silent No More or about joining Women at the Centre.

Doreen Nicoll is a feminist and a member of several community organizations working diligently to end poverty, hunger and gendered violence.

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By AP (registered) | Posted February 26, 2014 at 09:13:37

Thanks for sharing, Doreen. I don't have my own children yet, but if I do someday, I will be following your example in teaching them.

One thing I will do differently is to call it what it is: Men's violence against women. I know why we don't, but when 99‰ of the violence is committed by men against women, leaving us (men) out of the language is a big problem. Again, I know why we call it "violence against women" and "gender-based violence," but as a man, as ugly as it is, and as much as I don't think myself violent, I've got to take my bit of ownership and work to change it...starting with my language. Jackson Katz does a great job of breaking down the language issue in his TED Talk on the subject: http://new.ted.com/talks/jackson_katz_vi...

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By Doreen (registered) | Posted February 26, 2014 at 10:07:18 in reply to Comment 97935

Thank you AP!

You are absolutely correct-- it's a man's issue and thank you for taking ownership of it.

Women at the Centre members realize that men have to be part of the solution. Through our 'Engaging Men and Boys' campaign and by working with organizations like The White Ribbon Campaign, Women at the Centre hopes to reach out to young boys and men to help them avoid the need for power and control in relationships.

Thank you for posting the link to Jackson Katz. I hope readers take the time to familiarize themselves with this VAW ally.

And finally, thank you AP for being a what we call a stand up man -- one who is willing to speak up for women's rights.

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