Advocacy & Issues
Fair Fare Coalition
The Fair Fare Coalition is committed to working together to make public transit more accessible, now and in the long-term, for all community members, especially people who do not have other travel options. One of the coalition’s first actions was to gather information from people who are impacted by fare costs.
Sistering 2009 Demographic Survey
In 2008, Sistering began working on a demographic survey in order to:
- increase our understanding of the range of women who access our services;
- identify the programs best suited to women we serve, and;
- identify ways to continue to respond to the impacts of poverty, homelessness and trauma on women’s lives.
This report provides an overview of the following findings as reported by the women who participated in the 2009 Demographic Survey:
- demographic and socio-economic characteristics;
- daily challenges including physical and mental health issues, substance use, child and adult abuse, interactions with the criminal justice system, sources of support, and;
- experiences of accessing community support services.
More information on 2009 Demographic Survey
Survivor's Guide to Freedom from Violence
Survivor's Guide to Freedom from Violence is a Canadian documentary (high-definition, 25 minutes) that inspires, informs and guides women on their journey towards violence-free lives. Women featured in this video include: Zahra Dhanani of METRAC, June Taylor of Native Women's Resource Centre, Eva-Marie Stern of Women’s College Hospital, Carol Allain of Sistering, and Linda Reimer of DVSAC. Distributed across Canada.
Back Talk Forum
Sistering and Street Health’s forum Back Talk: Women Speak About Reducing Poverty in their Lives provided homeless, marginalized and low-income women with an opportunity to speak about strategies for reducing poverty in their lives and to have input into provincial government consultations on the Poverty Reduction Strategy for Ontario. Hoping for change, women spoke openly about their lives, often directly addressing Deb Matthews, Minister Responsible for Women’s issues and Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction who attended the afternoon forum.
Watch the Back Talk Forum video
Sistering & Street Health Research Bulletin on Women & Homelessness
Released jointly by Sistering and Street Health, the Women and Homelessness Research Bulletin documents the brutal impact of homelessness on women’s health. Calling homelessness a “life-threatening” condition for women, the study reveals staggering rates of sexual assault among homeless women, and documents health impacts that significantly reduce life expectancy. The bulletin paints a detailed picture of women’s street homelessness today and its devastating impact and makes a series of recommendations for change.
Colour of Poverty Campaign
Sistering is a member of the Colour of Poverty Campaign, a province-wide community-based effort to help raise public awareness about the serious problem of poverty within the racialized communities of Ontario.
25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction
Sistering has endorsed the declaration of the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction which is working to ensure the provincial government adopts a strong plan to reduce poverty in Ontario.
Common Occurrence
Common Occurrence is a groundbreaking Sistering report that looks at the particular nature of women’s homelessness and its impact on women’s physical, mental and spiritual health. The report documents women’s hidden homelessness, reaching women not usually included in studies on poverty and homelessness, including women who are not in the shelter system but who are in impermanent living conditions, such as a sofa at a friend’s house or on the floor of an adult child’s apartment.