Gender Justice
Feminist Foreign Aid: Women peace builders are worth the investment
January 16, 2019
Peace-building sounds lofty and is often seen as the responsibility of world leaders and armed actors, but quite often it is manifested in the tireless work of women and male allies in communities caught in a conflict’s cross-fire. Héritiers de…
Post filed in: Africa, Gender Justice, Women of Courage
Les femmes qui construisent la paix valent l’investissement
December 20, 2018
La consolidation de la paix a l’air noble et est souvent perçue comme relevant de la responsabilité des dirigeants mondiaux et des acteurs armés. Elle se manifeste aussi assez souvent dans le travail inlassable des femmes et de leurs alliés…
Post filed in: Africa, En français, Gender Justice, Op Eds & Rabble, Women of Courage
NEW VIDEO: KAIROS Women of Courage at the heart of peacebuilding (1:30 min)
December 10, 2018
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Women of Courage
Women of Courage: Perspectives from Inaugural Global Partners Gathering
November 30, 2018
KAIROS is truly honoured to have hosted ten partners at the inaugural Women of Courage: Women, Peace and Security global partners gathering in Toronto and Ottawa, November 19 – 27. The gathering highlighted the critical role that women’s grassroots organizations…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Women of Courage
Spirited Reflection: Women of Courage – making visible the women who work for peace
November 21, 2018
I am not a theologian, but when I hear the passage from Luke 19 and Jesus’s words as he enters the city of Jerusalem: “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace….
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Spirited Reflections, Women of Courage
#HearMeToo: women-led grassroots organizations are best chance to end violence
November 19, 2018
Research by UN Women also tells us that only five per cent of international funds are allocated to programs targeting gender equality and women’s empowerment in fragile states. Canada can change this chronic underfunding by investing in the best chance for sustained peace…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Women of Courage
KAIROS Women of Courage global partners visit Toronto and Ottawa, November 19-27
November 12, 2018
KAIROS Canada will host an inaugural Women of Courage: Women, Peace and Security partners gathering from November 19 – 27, 2018 in Toronto and Ottawa, bringing together for the first time our five international partners: Héritiers de la Justice –…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Women of Courage
KAIROS partner, South Sudan Council of Churches responds to latest peace plan in South Sudan
October 22, 2018
As a Church, we believe that peace is not something on paper. Peace is a practical reality on the ground.” This time the peace agreement must not be allowed to fail. This time they will hammer their swords into plowshares…
Post filed in: Africa, Gender Justice, Women of Courage
Héritiers de la Justice collaboration with 2018 Nobel Peace Prize co-laureate Dr. Dénis Mukwege
October 12, 2018
Photo: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Dénis Mukwege congratulated by local civil society partners October 6, 2018 at Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo including Neema Lubala, sixth from right, and Chantal Bilulu from KAIROS partner Héritiers…
Post filed in: Africa, Gender Justice, Women of Courage
NEW VIDEO: Women of Courage in Colombia talk about peace
September 5, 2018
In conflict and post-conflict zones, such as Colombia, there is often a tendency to treat victims only as victims—instead of hearing what they have to say about what they expect. Here are voices of women from Colombia and elsewhere, including…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Latin America, Women of Courage
Resilience and collective responsibility in peace building in Palestine
August 20, 2018
In July, my colleague Rachel Warden and I travelled to the West Bank to visit with Wi’am: Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center, one of five KAIROS partner organizations in the Women of Courage: Women, Peace and Security (WPS) program. I was…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Middle East, Women of Courage
Grassroots feminist initiatives for peace in post-agreement Colombia
July 30, 2018
In the Magdalena Medio region of Colombia, where the Organización Femenina Popular (Popular Feminist Organization or OFP) operates, a climate of political uncertainty, social insecurity, and economic precarity prevails. While the signing of the Final Peace Agreement—unprecedented in its inclusion…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Latin America, Women of Courage
Letter to the Editor: Investing in peace will reduce need for defence spending
July 18, 2018
Re: “NATO or not, Canadian defence spending should rise,” (The Hill Times, July 11, p.8). As the government considers an increase in defence spending, I hope it will also invest in effective peacebuilding efforts in the world’s most vulnerable regions….
Post filed in: Gender Justice
Canada boosts transformative work of grassroots women peace builders
June 26, 2018
Women are often prime targets in war but, when given the chance, they can also be critical agents for peace. Isabel Caicedo is one such woman. Forcibly displaced from her home after paramilitary forces massacred her neighbours during a decades-long…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Women of Courage
Video message from our partners about Global Affairs Canada funding
May 30, 2018
Today we celebrate resilience and solidarity! We are delighted to announce that the KAIROS proposal to Global Affairs Canada for Women of Courage: Women Peace and Security, a five country, five year project led by grassroots women, has been fully…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Women of Courage
MEDIA RELEASE: KAIROS’ Women of Courage: Women, Peace and Security Program to receive $4.5 million
May 30, 2018
(le français suit) (Toronto, ON) – KAIROS Canada is thrilled to announce a renewed collaboration with the Government of Canada to deliver Women of Courage: Women, Peace and Security in Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Philippines, South…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Media Releases, Women of Courage
Women Voicing their Resistance to Extractivism
May 9, 2018
“They wanted to silence me, but I told them that it’s about time that I am singing. And I am singing very out loud in my community.” –Yvonne Sampear, WoMin, South Africa “Nunca nos callaremos. Es por nuestro derecho y…
Post filed in: Gender Justice
KAIROS women resist mining at international gathering in Montreal
May 2, 2018
More than 40 women, mostly Indigenous, from 15 countries exchanged experiences and strategies of resilience and resistance against mining in their communities at the Women Resisting Extractivism gathering in Montreal from April 27 to 29. In testimony after testimony the…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Women of Courage
Colombian women speak peace, May 4 in Toronto
May 2, 2018
KAIROS Canada hosts Colombian partner, Organización Femenina Popular for panel on Women, Peace and Security (Toronto, ON) – Two Colombian women peace builders will visit Toronto on May 4 to share their work in empowering women victims of Colombia’s 50-year…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Latin America, Media Releases, Women of Courage
KAIROS Partner Delegation Participates in the International Gathering Women Resisting Extractivism in Montreal, April 27-30
April 16, 2018
From April 27 to 30, KAIROS delegates from Canada and the Global South will participate in the International Gathering of Women Resisting Extractivism in Montreal. This gathering will bring together more than 40 land and life defenders from around the…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Women of Courage
NEW VIDEO! Women Building Peace in South Sudan: Agnes Wasuk Petia and Awak Deng
March 15, 2018
This International Women’s Day, we honoured and celebrated two women of courage: Agnes Wasuk Petia and Awak Deng from the National Women’s Programme of the South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC), a KAIROS partner. The following 5 minute video, Women…
Post filed in: Africa, Gender Justice, Women of Courage
KAIROS Women of Courage Program: Being a Feminist every day of the year
March 7, 2018
On International Women’s Day everyone is encouraged to be a feminist. It’s one day of the year where we have the rare opportunity to highlight the women’s movement and the significant achievements of courageous women, as well as current struggles…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Women of Courage
Human rights ombudsperson will bring long-awaited accountability to Canadian mining
February 14, 2018
The government has an opportunity to entrust the ombudsperson with the responsibility to ensure that the rights of women and girls are respected, that resource extraction does not result in increased gender-based violence, and that the unique perspective and concerns…
Post filed in: Executive Director, Gender Justice, Op Eds & Rabble
Letter to the Editor: Will Canada’s new ombudsperson have the power and funding to make a difference?
January 24, 2018
Published in the Toronto Star on January 24, 2018 Thank you to Jennifer Wells for scrutinizing the recently announced Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise. For years, Kairos and our international partners have called on Canada to hold Canadian companies accountable…
Post filed in: Gender Justice
Letter to the Editor: Canada’s back or Canada first?
January 22, 2018
We could do better on aid, Editorial, Jan. 16 The government’s recently announced Feminist International Assistance Policy could have far-reaching and long-lasting positive impacts for global peace. But — and it’s a big but — the policy’s success will depend…
Post filed in: Gender Justice
Fear’s Gift: The story of a young human rights activist in the Philippines
January 20, 2018
The KAIROS Toronto office finally received this long-anticipated Geez issue. KAIROS’ Connie Sorio shares her harrowing story as a young student and human rights activist in the Philippines, and how fear motivated her to take action. Her article also covers…
Post filed in: Gender Justice
Show Support for Effective Human Rights Ombudsperson Office
January 18, 2018
KAIROS is greatly encouraged by the Honourable Minister of International Trade’s announcement today regarding the creation of a Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Business Enterprise.We are cautiously optimistic because it is still unclear if the Ombudsperson will be completely independent at…
Post filed in: Gender Justice