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CanWaCH is excited to introduce HERA – the Health Excellence Research Alliance. This research-focused sub-brand will be the new home of our work as the Coordinating Centre for the Pan-Canadian Women’s Health Coalition (PCWHC). It will also include a growing spectrum of our work supporting critical health research both domestically and around the world.
You can keep up with the new sub-brand by subscribing to the dedicated monthly newsletter here and following HERA on LinkedIn and Bluesky.
Join CanWaCH and sector colleagues for a relaxed and informal gathering in Vancouver on May 26. Meet and be inspired by researchers, practitioners and advocates — all working to strengthen research into women and gender diverse people’s health in Canada and globally.
Hosted at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue from 5 to 7 p.m. PST, you will have the opportunity to expand your networks and learn about innovative and timely research collaborations happening across Canada and around the world. Plus, you can see our newly unveiled HERA branding in-person!
Register at this link and don’t forget to share with your Vancouver colleagues and friends.
CanWaCH congratulates the Rt. Hon. Mark Carney on his election as Member of Parliament for Nepean and as Prime Minister of Canada. As the dust settles on #Elxn45, CanWaCH is pleased to provide a summary for our members and partners on the implications of the 2025 federal election results.On Tuesday, May 13, Prime Minister Mark Carney presented a new Cabinet. CanWaCH extends its warm congratulations to all newly appointed members of cabinet. We are especially pleased to acknowledge the appointments of the Honourable Anita Anand as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Randeep Sarai as Secretary of State for International Development, the Honourable Marjorie Michel as Minister of Health and the Honourable Rechie Valdez as Minister for Women and Gender Equality. CanWaCH stands ready to work across each of these vital roles to advance health for all.
On May 6 and 7, CanWaCH was thrilled to host the 2025 Global Health Impact Summit in Toronto. This year’s summit was guided by the theme “Data that speaks: Harnessing qualitative insights for global health and gender equality.” Bringing together representatives from CanWaCH member and partner organizations, participants unpacked qualitative approaches to measurement, research and evaluation in diverse global health and gender equality contexts.
It was inspiring to feel a real sense of camaraderie and solidarity in the room and see the spirit of learning, building and sharing in full flow across presentations, discussions and workshops across the two days.
Following the end of the first day of the summit, we hosted a Toronto Dialogue! The evening saw members of the public and colleagues from across the CanWaCH membership and international cooperation sector come together to rekindle past connections, build new ones, and enjoy an art showcase! Featuring pieces from artists around the world, a diverse collection of paintings, photographs, mixed media pieces and digital works recognized and celebrated sector initiatives.
Thank you to all who joined us, participated in and contributed to an incredible two days!
Earlier this year, CanWaCH announced its partnership with the Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG) on Reproductive Health in Crises. In a new video, outgoing CanWaCH CEO Julia Anderson describes the origin of this partnership, and the benefits to both coalitions.
In humanitarian and development settings, programs may fail to connect with marginalized communities because of language barriers, mistranslations or culturally insensitive terms. Co-hosted by CanWaCH and IAWG, and led by IAWG member CLEAR Global, a powerful webinar on June 4 explores the role of language in programme design. It considers the connections between language, vulnerability and exclusion, with a particular focus on affordable and impactful solutions for sexual and reproductive health programming. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from over a decade of research and real-world solutions.
Despite shared goals, collaborations between civil society organizations (CSOs) and the research community often remain fragmented or unbalanced in the global health sector. This is particularly the case in the areas of sexual and reproductive health and maternal, newborn and child health.
On July 7, CSOs and research professionals will gather in Montréal for an in-person workshop to strengthen mutual understanding and envision new forms of collaboration. Please note that the event will be held in French only.
The CanWaCH Dialogue is coming to Montréal on July 7! Hosted from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. EDT, the evening provides an opportunity to casually connect with professionals and colleagues from across the CanWaCH membership and international cooperation sector. English and French participation is welcome!
Register here for free!
CSW69 brought together governments, civil society organizations, experts and activists from March 10 to 21. CanWaCH was pleased to join the session and support the attendance of youth and delegates from organizations across our membership. Reflecting on the session a couple of months on, the delegation sat down with us for a series of interviews. They shared some of their highlights, memorable quotes, challenges and tips for future participants. Read all of the delegation’s insights on Write to Thrive.
Since 1986, Kinvia has been taking action against childhood hunger, catalyzing community-led change in numerous countries, including Bolivia, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Uganda, and with Indigenous communities in Canada. Over 20 months, the organization undertook an intensive and participatory strategic planning process with a wide variety of collaborators, building a roadmap to guide them along a ten-year path. Learn about their name change from Canadian Feed The Children and read their milestone 2024-2034 Strategic Directions document, The Path to Kinvia.
Are you a health care provider? The Sexual Health and Genito-Pelvic Pain Knowledge Empowerment Hub (SHAPE) is conducting a national survey to understand the barriers you face in diagnosing and managing female sexual dysfunction and genito-pelvic pain (SD/GPP). Please complete this 10 minute survey and share the link widely within your networks of health care providers across various disciplines, including family medicine, gynecology, midwifery and physiotherapy.
Researchers at the University of Toronto are conducting a qualitative study exploring the occupational transitions of caregivers going through menopause. The project aims to increase awareness of the menopausal transition within the field of occupational therapy and contribute to the development of more robust services for menopausal caregivers.
Sign up for a 45-60 minute virtual interview by contacting [email protected]. Participants are eligible to participate if they have menopause or are up to 5 years post-menopause and care for a spouse, parent/in-law, or adult child with a disability or chronic illness. Deadline: May 31, 2025.
Updated for 2025! French Terminology Guide on the Use of Technical Terms in Gender Equality, CanWaCH. With special thanks to Marie Brodeur Gélinas, Dominique LaRochelle, and participants from the 2024 CanWaCH Academy session: Utiliser le guide terminologique sur l’égalité des genres : nouvelles perspectives et échange.
Parting words from the CanWaCH CEO: An open letter to members, Julia Anderson, outgoing CEO, CanWaCH
After USAID: Why Canada must lead on global health now (op-ed), Julia Anderson, outgoing CEO, CanWaCH
Box of Blessings: Supporting communities across Canada this Ramadan, Human Concern International
Empowering girls in Ethiopia: The Impact of Cuso International’s U-GIRLS2 Project, Cuso International
Canada can be a leader in women’s health in South Sudan (op-ed), Tonia Occhionero, Executive Director, Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM)
Living With Multidrug-Resistant TB in Peru: Kioshi’s Journey, Partners In Health Canada
Standing with Haiti, Partners In Health Canada
Stories: Midwives in Action, Canadian Association of Midwives
Technology Improves Timely Detection and Diagnosis of Tuberculosis, Partners In Health Canada
The Leadership We Need: Canada’s Role in a Ransacked World, Partners In Health Canada
Top 5 Takeaways from the “Turmoil, TB Care, & Taking Action” Webinar, Partners In Health Canada
Understanding the roots: Local stakeholders’ insights on the causes and challenges in combating child marriage in mountainous Karnali, Nepal, HealthBridge Foundation of Canada
Youth Engagement: A Growing Gap in Addressing Youth Mental Health, Grand Challenges Canada
May 20, Global Health Spotlight Series – In Conversation
May 20-23, McGill’s Introduction to Gender Equality and Global Health course
May 20 – June 13, McGill Summer Institutes in Global Health
May 23, Day one: Africa Day 2025 – Beyond Strategy: Driving Canada-Africa Impact
May 24, Day two: Africa Day 2025 – Beyond Strategy: Driving Canada-Africa Impact
May 26, CanWaCH Vancouver Dialogue: Champions for women and gender diverse people’s health research
May 27, Community health programmes in peril: Risks to maternal and child survival
June 4, Why language matters for inclusive health programming in emergencies and development contexts
June 4, Spotlight on Women’s and Girls’ Causes: Landscape Analysis and Funding Strategies
June 17-19, KT Canada Summer Institute
June 18-19, From Aid to Action ACIC Symposium
July 7, Co-creating the future of SRHR and MNCH: Dialogues between CSOs and researchers
July 7, CanWaCH Montréal Dialogue
Public Consultation on the Strategy (2026–2030) of the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents, Global Financing Facility for Women, Children, and Adolescents (GFF). Deadline: Friday, May 16, 2025
Manager, Humanitarian, Oxfam Canada. Application deadline: May 16
Director of Marketing & Public Engagement, Food for the Hungry. Application deadline: May 19
Mid-Term Evaluation Opportunity for the Stand Up for Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Project, Oxfam Canada. Application deadline: May 24
Call for Nominations: 2025 Paul Farmer Lectureship and Award for Global Health Equity, McGill University | School of Population and Global Health. Application deadline: June 8
Global Leadership Program, Aga Khan Foundation Canada. Application deadline: June 8
Have an opportunity that you would like to share with us? Please contact us at [email protected].
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