[antiwar-van] JUNE 8 - March for Women's Housing

[Harsha]

* pls forward *

MARCH FOR WOMEN’S HOUSING
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 PROJECT. 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
Save Low Income Housing Coalition
PIVOT Legal Society
West Coast Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund
PACE (Prostitution Alternatives Counselling and Education) Society
Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity Society
Battered Women Support Services
Hospital Employees Union
Carnegie Community Action Project
Citywide Housing Coalition
Indigenous Action Movement
No One is Illegal-Vancouver
Women Elders in Action
Justice for Girls
Oxfam Canada
La Surda Latin American Collective
Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users
Downtown Eastside Residents Association
International Indigenous Youth Conference Secretariat
Al-Awda The Palestinian Right of Return Coalition
West Coast Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society
Vancouver Status of Women
Latin America Connexions
Industrial Workers of the World
Building Bridges to Human Rights in Chiapas
Canada Palestine Association
Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women
DTES Community Arts Network Housing Cluster
SFU Women's Centre
Voice of Palestine
Anti Poverty Committee
Café Rebelde Coordinating Committee
Rhizome Café
Women Against Poverty Collective, Toronto