Innovations in Gender, Sex, and Health Research
Every Cell is Sexed, Every Person is Gendered
November 22-23, 2010 – Toronto, Ontario

Innovations in Gender, Sex, and Health Research, the 2010 conference of the Institute of Gender and Health, will showcase excellence and innovations across all domains of gender, sex, and health research and highlight how accounting for gender and sex leads to improvements in health interventions, policies, and outcomes.

Please visit the conference website to view the exciting line-up of keynote speakers and the preliminary conference program.

Register online.

One in six people providing informal care to seniors experiences distress, according to a new study released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), and those caring for seniors with moderate to severe cognitive impairment, such as those with Alzheimer`s or other dementia, are most at risk.

The first of two related studies, Supporting Informal Caregivers-The Heart of Home Care looked at more than 130,000 seniors (age 65 and older), including many with complex The second study, health conditions, who received publicly funded long-term home care in 2007-2008.

Caring for Seniors With Alzheimer`s Disease and Other Forms of Dementia, found that in 2007-2008, one in five seniors (20%) receiving long-term home care had a diagnosis of Alzheimer`s disease or other dementia. Nearly one in six (17%) of these clients with dementia was suffering from moderate to severe impairment in cognition and daily functioning yet still managed to remain at home.

Read more here.

Please note:

CWHN and its partners have done considerable work on homecare and women. For links to these resources, please visit the Women and Health Care Reform website. 

You can also search for resources and research on caregiving on CWHN’s InfoCentre.

Dr. Tim Rowe, the editor of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynae­cology Canada, recently argued that birth control pills should be available without a prescription. There is a growing movement now in the United States to do exactly that. Read about it in this August 28 Winnipeg Free Press article by Sharon Kirkey.

Wednesday, September 1, 9 am PT / 12pm ET
Thursday, September 9, 10 am PT / 1 pm ET

The Institute of Gender and Health is proud to announce the launch of our team grant initiative on violence, gender, and health. This funding opportunity, worth a total of $8.25M, will fund winning teams at $300K/year for up to 5 years. IGH will host two 1-hour virtual information sessions about this funding opportunity.

See attachment for more instructions on joining the sessions.

Is your organization struggling to make ends meet?

Not sure how to raise the money needed for your work’s long-term success?

Wish you had an effective strategic resource development plan?

Did you answer yes to any of these questions? You are not alone.

There is stiff competition among non-profits for donors and volunteers. Groups often feel unable to compete, yet many have found success.

So how can you get there?

Thanks to funding from Ontario Women’s Directorate and Status of Women Canada, this online assessment tool was developed to help you create own effective resource development plan – whether you are a Board member, volunteer, Executive Director, or staff member in a women’s organization!

On August 13 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved ella™ (ulipristal acetate) tablets for emergency contraception. The prescription-only product prevents pregnancy when taken orally within 120 hours (five days) after a contraceptive failure or unprotected intercourse.

ella is a progesterone agonist/antagonist whose likely main effect is to inhibit or delay ovulation. Since May 2009, the prescription product has been available in Europe under the brand name ellaOne.

Read the FDA press release.

Read about the opposition to ella before approval took place.

Read more details on ella on the The National Women's Health Network website.

Marilyn Waring and Martha Albertson Fineman will be Keynote Speakers at the October conference of Motherhood Initiative for Research and Community Involvement (MIRCI):

October 21-23, 2010
Oakham House, Ryerson University
63 Gould Street
Toronto, Canada

Marilyn Waring, Auckland University of Technology, author of If Women Counted: A New Feminist Economics - "The Human Rights and Unpaid Care Interface" will speak Friday, October 22, 2010: 8:00pm.TICKETS: $25

Martha Albertson Fineman, Emory University, author of The Autonomy Myth: A Theory of Dependency - "Motherhood and Entitlement will speak Thursday, October 21: 7:30pm. TICKETS: $35 (*this ticket price includes the reception/book launch preceding the keynote address - beginning at 5:15pm).

Tickets may be purchased online through the conference website (paypal option) or by mail with cheque payable to "MIRCI". TICKETS FOR THE 2 KEYNOTE ADDRESSES ARE VERY LIMITED SO PLEASE  ORDER TICKETS EARLY IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND. Day rates, student, and full conference rates are available if you wish to attend the larger conference.

Please see the conference website for the full conference program, attendee registration form, and individual ticket sales for both keynotes.

A groundbreaking new resource to guide donors, policy makers and program managers in planning effective HIV/AIDS interventions for women and girls was launched by Open Society Institute (OSI) at the XVIII International AIDS Conference with presentations by authors Jill Gay, Karen Hardee, Melanie Croce-Galis and Shannon Kowalski.

What Works for Women and Girls: Evidence for HIV/AIDS Interventions - now available at www.whatworksforwomen.org - is a comprehensive review of successful HIV programming for women and girls spanning 2,000 articles and reports with data from more than 90 countries.

Women Thrive Worldwide has recently released a new resource: Fundraising Guide for Women’s Community-Based Organizations. Women Thrive Worldwide believes that the best way to fight global poverty is by investing in local women’s groups in the developing world.

Read more and download the guide here.

A recent investigation by a Toronto Star reporter has revealed that some anti-abortion groups are counselling women using false and misleading statements about the effects of abortion.

Read the whole article here.

Status of Women Canada invites organizations to apply to the Women's Community Fund component of the Women's Program.

Starting with the 2010-2011 fiscal year, Status of Women Canada will be accepting and reviewing applications to the Women's Community Fund on an ongoing basis, year-round. Interested applicants wishing to propose a project for funding are encouraged to contact their regional Status of Women Canada office in the process of preparing their applications. In addition, application forms and the Women's Program Information Guide will be available on this website by July 2, 2010.

Friday October 1^st, 2010

The Women’s Mental Health Program of the University of Toronto, Department of Psychiatry and affiliated teaching Hospitals, invites you to register for its upcoming conference on Women’s Mental Health.

Space is limited. Register early to take advantage of early bird rates before September 1^st, 2010.

Registration is now open here.

A new International Women's Alliance was formed this month at the Montreal International Women's Conference 2010 (MIWC), with the aim of building a global militant women's movement in the 21st century. The conference was hosted by the Committee of Women of Diverse Origins and also commemorated 100 years since the launch of International Women's Day, first observed on March 19, 1911 in Austria, Denmark,Germany and Switzerland.

Read the story and interviews with panellists here.

Check out fabulous coverage from the conference including feature interviews and keynote speeches by Liza Maza, Dolores Chew, Brenda Stokely and more at 'Las Perlas del Mar' a web site dedicated to women's voices and struggles. Thanks to Alex and Denisse for your dedication and great work!

Are you engaged in research and/or advocacy relating to women's equality, women's rights, women's empowerment? Then you should know about Women's Worlds 2011, a place where women can all connect and converse. The conversation includes you.

The 30th anniversary of this international and interdisciplinary global feminist conference will take place in Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada from 3-7 July of 2011. Until September 15, 2010, organizers are accepting proposals from academia, the community level, and everywhere in between -- groups, individuals, coalitions, networks, teams.

This event will bring together academics, advocates, researchers, policy-makers, workers, activists, and artists of all ages from around the world under the theme "Inclusions, exclusions, and seclusions: Living in a globalized world".

Proposals for presentations can come from individuals, groups, coalitions, networks, teams - everything will be considered. There are several ways to submit your proposal - use the simple online form, print off and email the pdf version, or fax it in. Please note: There is a video of the call in ASL on the website.

For more information: info@womensworlds.ca

THE NEW VIEW announces its THIRD Conference, to be held at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on Sunday, September 26, 2010.

While the vulva surgeons are holding a conference on the Las Vegas strip, the New View, in collaboration with the UNLV Women's Studies Department and Petals, will hold a counter-symposium to examine the personal and political complexities of the new female genital cosmetic surgeries.

This one-day conference will include a morning plenary session on the emerging issues in genital scholarship, activism, and art, and an afternoon of experiential and discussion workshops for participants to share strategies and build connections. The event will conclude with an evening reception, photography and craft exhibition, and film showing at the Erotic Heritage Museum.

For general information contact Rachel Liebert, rachel.liebert@gmail.com

For REGISTRATION, contact Tash Wong, meilun@gmail.com. Give your name and indicate if you are a student (specify the school). Please write "Las Vegas Conference" in the subject line. Registration fee will be paid in cash on 9/26 in Las Vegas. Specific location forthcoming.

Read about the conference here.

CWHN has recently produced this nine-page fact sheet in both English and French.

Health policy researcher Janet Currie produced the document for the Canadian Women`s Health Network after Dr. Barbara Mintzes's successful webinar on the topic last October.
A recording of the webinar on this topic is available here.

For pregnant women or women contemplating pregnancy, reading literature about depression, pregnancy and medication often leaves them feeling only more confused. This fact sheet is intended to point out what is and is not known in the medical literature concerning the use of SSRI anti-depressants during pregnancy and, for women who decide ultimately that they do not want to start or continue using antidepressants, offers helpful information on how to come off them. It also offers some other options for dealing with depression and some resources for further reading.

How will changes to the Canadian census affect our understanding of unpaid women’s work? Women fought for a long time to include questions in the census that would help us understand how women’s unpaid work at home contributes in an essential way to our economy. Several recent commentaries examine the impacts of the census changes on women.

Census change devalues women's unpaid work (Antonia Zerbisias) (The Star)

Why won't feds count at-home mothers? (Elsie Hambrook) (The Telegraph-Journal)

For more information and stories on changes to the census, visit datalibre.

Women's Healthy Environments Network (WHEN) has an opening for an Office Coordinator, to start as soon as possible.

Responsibilities:
As Office Coordinator, you will carry out the administration of WHEN's office and respond to requests in a professional and organized manner. You will report to the Board co-chairs, but will work closely with various Board members where required for specific projects or events.

It is anticipated the Office Coordinator will work a minimum of 2 days (12 hours per week), with the potential for additional hours as negotiated with the Board co-chairs based on workload.  Regular duties include: General office duties such as answering the phone and processing mail/email; petty cash purchases and paying invoices; issuing tax receipts for member donations and maintaining donor records; maintaining accurate electronic and paper files; ensuring office equipment and supplies are adequate and in working order, etc.
Responding to requests for information or to purchase materials, including processing product sales in a timely manner
Maintaining timely and accurate financial records (accounts payable/accounts receivable data entry as directed by the Board's treasurer and WHEN's accountant) Attending monthly Board meetings and providing general administrative support to WHEN's volunteer board (e.g. taking minutes at Board meetings, following up on action items identified at Board meetings, etc.)
Provide support to various Board members as directed for specific projects (e.g. preparing materials for tabling events or workshops, supporting Treasurer in year-end reporting, etc.)
Maintain donor database to be used for further fundraising and donor management

Qualifications:
Comfortable representing WHEN's mission and values.
Self-motivated and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
Ability to analyze problems and propose solutions.
Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office, including MS Word, Excel, Outlook.  Ability to develop Access database appreciated but not necessary.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills when dealing with sister organizations and the general public.
Effective organization skills, with demonstrated experience completing multiple tasks.

Location:
WHEN's office is located in the Centre for Social Innovation, 215 Spadina Avenue (between Dundas Street and Queen Street), Toronto.

Interested? Tel. 416-928-0880 | Fax 416-644-0116
E-mail: office@womenshealthyenvironments.ca

You are invited to take part in a consultation re LGBT people in Ontario, and mental health and addictions research as part of the Creating Together project.  
 
The session takes place Monday, September 13^th, 12 noon till 5pm, at the 519 Community Centre, 519 Church Street, Toronto. Please note that you must register if you wish to attend this event.
 
Who Should Attend?

• LGBT consumer/survivors of the mental health and addictions systems and their family members, 
• Clinicians & service providers who work with LGBT people, 
• Policy makers and government staff working in the areas of LGBT mental health and addictions 
• Researchers working in the area of LGBT mental health and addictions 
• LGBT community members

Lunch will be provided, the event is wheelchair accessible, and limited support for travel is available. All applications for travel assistance must be received by Wednesday August 25th at 5pm. An application form is included with the RSVP link, listed below.
 
This event is brought to you by Rainbow Health Ontario and OMHAKEN/ Creating Together.
 
To register for the event, please click on the RSVP link.
 
For more information about the LGBT Consultation and the Creating Together process, please see the link on the website.

The Institute of Gender and Health presents present volume 1, issue 2 of its biannual newsletter Intersections. This issue is dedicated to IGH's strategic research direction "clinical interventions: enhancing effectiveness". This issue highlights key examples of advances and achievements in this field, and the researchers behind these stories. The newsletter also shines the spotlight on trainees, profile successes in knowledge translation, and feature news at IGH and in the gender, sex, and health research community.

Intersections is available online in html and pdf formats.

Autism, Intellectual Disabilities and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Pre-Conference Workshops: September 29, 2010
Conference: September 30, October 1, 2010
The Coast Plaza Hotel and Suites
Vancouver, BC

This conference will provide education and informative updates on psychiatric, behavioural and complex health components specific to individuals with Developmental Disabilities, and showcase best practices in the field. Specifically, the conference will focus on approaches to complex challenging behaviours, contributing medical issues and new developments in medication and behavioral treatment. In addition, the conference will address important health issues including Reflux, Pain, Epilepsy, Dental Management and Sleep. Health problems in common genetic syndromes such as Down and Fragile X will also be addressed.

For further information please visit the website, or contact them at ipad@interchange.ubc.ca or (604) 822 – 7524.

Deadline for registration: August 15, 2010

Do you know a young woman between 16-25 years of age who gets fired up about the issues, is an emerging or active leader who would like to hone her skills and meet other youths from across Canada? Invite her to register for the ELLE Project! This leadership training unites 20 young women to learn new skills, find mentors and have fun. Activities and workshops include how to: find your voice, organize, engage communities, create multi-media, develop projects, change policies and influence the world!  (No income barriers! This 7-day training is FREE, transportation and accomodations included!)

For more info and to register click here.

"The Pregnancy Intentions of HIV-Positive Women: Forwarding the Research Agenda," a two and a half-day conference composed of plenary sessions, interdisciplinary breakout sessions and a half-day research symposium was convened at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts from March 17th to 19th 2010.

The conference brought together a multidisciplinary group from six continents engaged in HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health and rights work.

This conference report synthesizes current knowledge and discussions related to the four conference themes and five cross-cutting issues, identifies points of consensus and points of departure amongst participants, highlights suggestions for promoting multidisciplinary research in identified areas, and concludes with recommendations for future research.

The full report (PDF) is available on the HSPH Program on International Health and Human Rights website, as well as short document that highlights our proposed research agenda.

The short document is available here. (PDF)

FACT: There are toxic chemicals in the bodies of Canadian girls and women- chemicals that enter the bloodstream from pesticides and hormones in our food, from furniture and detergents, and from the personal care products we put on our bodies. Even small doses of these toxins can have serious effects. THE GOOD NEWS: Young women have a lot of consumer power- power to get these unnecessary toxins out of products like the cosmetics that we use to feel healthy and beautiful! FemmeToxic's goal is to educate young Canadian women about the potential dangers of cosmetics ingredients and provide people with the tools they need to create personal change and to influence national legislative reform. Refuse to be “toxified”! Demand safer cosmetics!

In the spring of 2009, a passionate and dedicated committee from the non-profit organization Breast Cancer Action Montreal (BCAM) decided to develop a youth-oriented campaign for safe cosmetics. Soon to join the organization were several young women, coming from different backgrounds, who were alarmed by the current state of cosmetic regulations in Canada. FemmeToxic was created because of the strengths of this unique group of women and their desire for stronger legislation to make safer cosmetics the norm.

FemmeToxic is a campaign focusing on the toxins in the environment, particularly those found in cosmetic and personal care products, which are detrimental to human health and can increase the risk of cancer and other health-related disorders.

Visit the website here.

Watch this documentary being re-aired on Sunday August 8, 2010 at 10 pm ET/PT on CBC News Network:

"Extraordinary behind-the-scenes access reveals a drug company's fevered race to develop the first FDA-approved Viagra for women - and offers a humorous but sobering look inside the cash-fueled pharmaceutical industry." - Hot Docs Film Festival

In the shocking and hilarious documentary Orgasm Inc., filmmaker Liz Canner takes a job editing erotic videos for a drug trial for a pharmaceutical company. Her employer is developing what they hope will be the first Viagra drug for women that wins FDA approval to treat a new disease: Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD).

See the trailer and more information here.