1 st World Conference of Womens Shelters Edmonton
- Slides: 10
1 st World Conference of Women’s Shelters Edmonton, AB September 8 – 11, 2008
Delegates • 800+ delegates • 51 countries (Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, United States, Scotland, Ghana, Mexico, Italy, Serbia, Ukraine, Botswana, Kyrgyzstan, South Africa, and so on) • Included shelter workers, government agencies, YWCA, SPCA, Batterers intervention programs, authors and researchers, health care providers, union representing health-care workers
New Brunswick Delegates • • 8 delegates from New Brunswick 2 WIB 1 ACSW 5 Transition House Executive Directors – – – Woodstock Tracadie Moncton Miramichi Gignoo
Pre-conference Workshop • • 4 th annual “Breakfast with the Guys” Attended by Edmonton Eskimos, Edmonton Oilers, local and provincial governments, police, business, etc. Over 300 attended. • Key messages: 1. Media impacts the socialization of boys 2. Violence against women is a men’s issue! 3. Leaders must take a stand this will make it easier for others to follow. 4. Programs alone will not eradicate VAW - Social change is needed! http: //www. endingviolence. org/node/664
Key Workshop Themes • • • Different shelter practices Responding to diversity Children and violence against women Human trafficking Staff wellness
Key Learnings • Domestic violence is a part of the continuum of VAW • VAW must remain a gendered issue – Male Violence Against Women • Women working in shelters are in high risk professions • 30 day shelter stay is not long enough • VAW shapes a child’s development • Safety and wellbeing of children are directly related to the safety and wellbeing of their mothers • Staff wellness is a MUST
Questions to ask ourselves • What are the needs of women? • Are our shelters meeting all the needs of women (Australia – paradigm shift – focuses on meeting all the needs of women (Maslow’s hierarchy of needs)? • How are we addressing the complex needs of women, such as women with addictions?
Special Events • Violence against Women 365 International Poster Exhibition • http: //www. dvposters 365. net/welcome. htm
More special events • Cultural Events • Youth play “Speak” • Peace banner – Japanese form of Saori weaving
Next Steps • Develop strategy for dissemination of information: http: //www. womenshelter. ca/gallery_en. php • Share information at next meeting of Transition Houses • How can we improve our response?
