It is a pleasure to share the Women’s Presence, Women’s Power project so that women in cooperatives around the world know that they have the power to make their presence felt.

The Fédération des coopératives d’habitation intermunicipale du Montréal métropolitain (FECHIMM), the Comité logement Lachine-LaSalle (CLLL), the Groupe de ressources techniques (GRT) Réseau 2000+ and the Table régionale des centres de femmes Montréal/Laval have been carrying this project since February 2017.

FECHIMM created this program and tools (with excellent partners) to guide women in cooperatives and other housing models towards leadership success. Although the website is French you can right-click and select the translation option. The tools however have been translated into English.

Funded by Status of Women Canada (SWC), now a federal department called Women and Gender Equality Canada (WGE), this project aims to have a significant impact on women’s participation (empowerment) in housing cooperatives.

Objectives of the Program

• Identify systemic barriers faced by women in cooperative housing
• Equip organisations involved in the life cycle of a housing cooperative with tools and practices adapted according to gender-based analysis (GBA+)
• Provide tools to enable women to define objectives, priorities and means of action in order to take their place within the cooperatives (pilot projects)
• Encourage the sharing of knowledge and practices developed and support collaborative work by setting up a digital platform.

The tools are made available to you, cooperatives, support-organisations, and partners who are committed to supporting a healthy and inclusive democratic life in cooperatives. When women are in leadership positions everyone wins!