Empowering women through advocacy and education.

The 2026 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence runs from November 25 to December 10, 2026. The official UNiTE campaign theme is “UNiTE to End Violence Against Women and Girls: Ensure justice, protect survivors, end impunity”, focusing on removing legal, social, and digital barriers to justice.

The CFUW Ontario Council Advocacy Brief urging our provincial government to Declare the Epidemic: Ending Intimate Partner Violence in Ontario is posted on our website, along with further information on this important topic.

Links to the recording and notes from our October 24thSpeaker Series, Leading Change Through Legislation, with a focus on how our voices can be effectively amplified to focus on issues such as Intimate Partner Violence, can be found on the OC website as well.

Key dates

November 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

• This day raises global awareness of GBV. It was designated in 1999 by the United Nations General Assembly. The date of November 25 commemorates the lives of the Mirabal sisters from the Dominican Republic who were violently assassinated in 1960.

December 6: National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

• In Canada, this day honours the 14 women killed in the Polytechnique Montréal massacre on December 6, 1989, and calls for action against GBV.

December 10: Human Rights Day

• This day marks the anniversary of the United Nations adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948. This document affirms the rights and dignity of all people and is a milestone in the history of human rights. It has been translated in over 500 languages, holding the Guinness World Record as the most translated document.

Looking for how your club can take action? Check out CFUW National's  toolkit, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence

by Kathy Wosnick, Advocacy Chair

Part Two of this series shows how to re-engage experienced women leaders who have stepped back. Offer them fresh, systems-level challenges such as advocacy and cross-sector work, then give them real autonomy, peer networks and the freedom to shape their own initiatives, rather than more of the same work.

Read Part 1 HERE

Indigenous Veterans Day is observed on November 8, to recognize the courage and sacrifice of First Nation, Inuit and Métis people in military service. It is estimated that, in total, over 12,000 Indigenous people have volunteered their services on the front lines, serving in all conflicts that Canada has been involved in.

On the home front, Indigenous people donated large amounts of money, clothing and food to worthy causes. Indigenous women had important roles during conflicts — serving as nurses, air traffic controllers and radio operators. 

Hello from Ontario Council's Environment and Climate Change Chair. 

Getting to know environmentally-conscious CFUW club members is a pleasure. 

I am pleased to invite you to a zoom meeting where we can greet one another, focus on Ontario Council website resources and chat about environment and climate change issues in Ontario. 

WHEN: Dec 2, 2026, via ZOOM (pre-registration required)

TIME: 6:30 pm 

Learn about CFUW St. Catharines' resource, 'Don't Drain the Swamp- Why we need wetlands' and CFUW Stratford's 'Sustainable Shopping Cart'. 

Share your questions, concerns and tips in our discussion segment. 

All are welcome!

~ Sue Bailey, Environment & Climate Change Committe Chair

During our first Speakers’ Session of the year, we heard from the professionals. Peggy Sattler MPP, Ted Hsu MPP and Chris King Constituents Assistant shared some ideas about how to be heard and advance our goals.

Each of the participants were involved in advancing Private Members Bills. They reminded us that it may take a couple of parliamentary sessions before we achieve our goal. They also explained that an amendment to a Government Bill might get you close to your goal so consider that option.

Some advice:

• Make sure you can articulate your issue in a couple of sentences

• Ask for a deliverable (What do you want to see done)

• Ask for an in-person meeting but a zoom meeting might be just as effective and easier to  achieve

• Hold a premeeting planning session

• Choose a spokesperson or two

• Leave the Member with something to remind them of your goal

• Personal letters are more persuasive than form letters.

• If your issue is going to be discussed at a Standing Committee ask to be heard or at least make submissions

• Recognize that you are not the only group asking for support so be patient. But do follow-up and reach out to staff in a reasonable time frame.

• Try and get other organizations to join in pursuing your goal

• Expand your presence by having clubs from different ridings make presentations to their MPPs

• Always try and get press.

When planning an innovative don’t forget that Ontario Council Committee Chairs may be able

to help because there maybe other clubs pursing similar goals. We can share tools and learn

from each other.

Submitted by Niki Carlan, Legislation Chair, Ontario Council

Women in Ontario still earn less than men. That gap affects their savings, their retirement and their security over a lifetime. What’s driving it, and what can we do about it?

Join the CFUW Ontario Council for a morning conversation with two leading voices on women’s economic equality.

What we’ll cover:
-- The gender pay gap in Ontario
-- The policy landscape and advocacy levers
-- What CFUW OC can do