FRIDAY JUNE 8 AT 2 PM STARTS @ DTES WOMEN’S CENTRE (302 Columbia, corner Cordova)

JOIN WOMEN IN THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE TO DEMAND HOUSING NOW!

In response to the growing violence of poverty and homelessness, women in the Downtown Eastside and the Power of Women to Women Group are joining together to organize for and demand safe and long-term affordable housing.

According to the 2005 GVRD Homelessness Count, there has been an increase of 60% in the number of homeless women since the 2002 Count, with shelter beds available for no more than 50% of homeless women. Cuts to income assistance, legal aid, women’s centres, attacks on women’s advocacy and support services, the lack of childcare support, rising costs of living and housing, and low-income work all have had devastating impacts on women. Overall, the number of homeless people has doubled to approximately 2,174 people in 2005. It is estimated that the rate of rapid gentrification leading to the Olympics will triple the number of homeless in Vancouver.

This march is also being organized in solidarity with our sisters in the Women Against Poverty Collective in Toronto, who on June 3 are organizing a housing takeover in Toronto to draw attention to the links between safe housing and women’s ability to live free from violence. We are joining together from Toronto to Vancouver to demand that safe, long-term affordable housing for women be made available immediately!

We encourage and hope that all our supporters will join us. This is a drug and alcohol-free event.

ORGANIZED BY POWER OF WOMEN GROUP (group of homeless women and women living in extreme poverty in the DTES). For more information, contact us at DEWC at 604-681-8480 x 234 or email us at project at dewc.ca.

ENDORSED BY:
Carnegie Association
BC Government Employees Union
B.C Persons with AIDS Society
Save Low Income Housing Coalition
West Coast Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund
PACE (Prostitution Alternatives Counseling and Education) Society
Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity Society
Hospital Employees Union
Women Against Violence Against Women
Oxfam Canada
PIVOT Legal Society
Battered Women Support Services
Carnegie Community Action Project
WISH Drop-in Centre Society
Indigenous Action Movement
Women Elders in Action
Justice for Girls
North Shore Women’s Centre
No One is Illegal-Vancouver
Citywide Housing Coalition
Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 15
La Surda Latin American Collective
Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users
Atira Women’s Resource Society
Redwire Native Youth Magazine
Downtown Eastside Residents Association
Al-Awda The Palestinian Right of Return Coalition
West Coast Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society
International Iranian Federation of Refugees
Vancouver Status of Women
Latin America Connexions
Industrial Workers of the World
Building Bridges to Human Rights in Chiapas
Philippine Women Centre of B.C.
SIKLAB-B.C. (Advance the Rights & Welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers)
Anti Poverty Committee
Canada Palestine Association
South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy
International Indigenous Youth Conference Secretariat
Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women
DTES Community Arts Network Housing Cluster
SFU Women’s Centre
Voice of Palestine
Grassroots Women
Neworld Theatre Society
Café Rebelde Coordinating Committee
Café Kathmandu
Rhizome Café
Bulland Awaaz
The Rational
Siraat
Salaam- Queer Muslim collective
Seven Oaks Magazine
Americana Latina Al Dia
Women Against Poverty Collective, Toronto
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
Agenica de Asuntos Precarios, Madrid, Spain