CanWaCH

Research Mentorship in LMICs
2025-10-17 07:00 - 08:30 (America/Toronto) | Virtual, Canada
Are you interested in improving research mentorship in low and middle-income countries (LMICs)?

We will go over successful mentoring programs in Ethiopia and Rwanda, case studies compiled by TDR, ways to enhance equity in mentorship, and share open access resources.

The webinar is organized by a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from the University of Rwanda (UR-CMHS), the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), and the Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI). If you have any questions, contact Dr. Eneyi Kpokiri at Eneyi.kpokiri@lshtm.ac.uk.

October 17, 2025 | 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM EST | Virtual

Attend here!

Claiming Space, Shifting Power: Campaigns for LGBTQ+ Rights
2025-10-16 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual, Canada
Register for Dignity in Dialogue’s upcoming session on October 16th from 1:00 PM – 2:30PM EDT.
This session spotlights the strategists, organizers, and everyday people taking part in impactful LGBTQ+ rights campaigns that have changed hearts, minds, and policies. Together, we’ll explore how movements have built power, navigated backlash, sustained momentum, and shifted narratives to achieve lasting impact.
Featured speakers:

Fae Johnstone, Canada – Society of Queer Momentum, Canada
Star Rugori, Burundi – Executive Director, MOLI
Mariano Ruiz, Argentina – President, Derechos Humanos y Diversidad Asociación Civil

Open to all, this conversation offers vital lessons for building inclusive, resilient movements in today’s urgent climate. Please share within your networks. There will be simultaneous EN-FR and FR-EN interpretation.
Register here!

Book Launch – Collaborative Methods: Participatory Data Analysis in Feminist Research
2025-10-16 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual, Canada
Are you interested in feminist methodologies, participatory research, and collaborative inquiry?
Join authors Kaylan Schwarz, Claudia Mitchell, Mitchell McLarnon, Sarah Flicker, and Geetanjali Gill for a dynamic introduction to their chapters, followed by an open Q&A – a chance to connect with contributors and explore the practical and theoretical aspects of participatory data analysis.
We’re also happy to welcome Pengfei Zhao (McGill University) as a special guest and discussant.
Whether you’re conducting advanced research or just beginning to explore new methodologies, all are welcome!
Register here: https://mcgill.zoom.us/meeting/register/stoijlmHTG-lATMmYz3wuA

Webinar Wednesdays: Queer Epistemologies of Violence: Ecological and Liberatory Perspectives
2025-10-15 14:00 - 15:30 | Virtual, Canada
Join us on Wednesday, October 15th, as the AVA Webinar Series presents Queer Epistemologies of Violence: Ecological and Liberatory Perspectives, featuring Dr. Jason C. Garvey from the University of Vermont and principal investigator of QTPiE: Queer and Trans People in Education.
Wednesday, October 15th, 2025
2 – 3:30pm EDT
In this session, Dr. Garvey will reframe violence prevention through the lens of queer epistemologies and ecological perspectives, highlighting how violence operates across individual, interpersonal, institutional, and societal levels. Drawing on stories, research insights, and community-driven strategies Jay will explore liberatory approaches that dismantle silos, center minoritized voices, and foster systemic change. Designed for educators, researchers, advocates, and community members, the session offers intersectional perspectives and practical tools to strengthen gender-based and interpersonal violence prevention.
About the Speaker
Dr. Jason C. Garvey is the Executive Director for the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment and the Friedman-Hipps Green and Gold Professor of Education at the University of Vermont. As an interdisciplinary researcher, he uses his expertise in student success, teaching and learning, education policy, and statistics to merge data-informed decision making with social change and impact in higher education. Jay is the Principal Investigator for QTPiE: Queer and Trans People in Education, a multi-institutional research team with a mission to educate, advocate, and build coalitions that advance equitable policies and practices for queer and trans people in education. He received his PhD in College Student Personnel Administration from the University of Maryland with a certificate in Measurement, Statistics, and Evaluation.
Attend here!

Coffee Hour session, Orbis International's FEH visit to Ghana!
2025-10-15 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual, Canada
“Thriving Together: Supporting Women’s Growth in Eye Health Careers Through Mentorship”
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Join us for a dynamic live virtual session spotlighting the vital role of female mentorship in shaping careers in ophthalmology. Through an engaging discussion, we will explore how mentorship uplifts women to excel in education and lead in teaching and institutional advancement. This session will highlight real-world experiences, and strategies for thriving at every stage of the eye care journey.

Location: Cybersight Platform.
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Date: Wednesday, October 15th
‍Time: 3:00 – 4:00 pm local time, Ghana.
11:00 am – 12:00 pm EST
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See you online!
Attend here!

Resilience Scale Masterclass
2025-10-14 13:00 - 15:30 | Virtual, Canada
Join us on Tuesday, October 14th, as the AVA Webinar Series presents the Resilience Scale Masterclass, featuring Claire Neihaus from the Palix Foundation.
Tuesday, October 14th, 2025
1pm – 3:30pm EDT
The Resilience Scale Masterclass explores how adversities, positive supports, and acquired skills and abilities interact to influence resilience and impact lifelong health and mental health outcomes. It provides foundational knowledge and a common language that are accessible across populations and disciplines, including policy makers, educators, practitioners, and the public. The Resilience Scale itself acts as a metaphor to communicate key concepts around resilience, and an effective visual tool to facilitate communication about life experiences, identify areas of support for children and families, and build connections to promote capacity for resilience.
About the Speaker
Claire Niehaus is a Scientific Associate with the Palix Foundation. She is a graduate from the University of Lethbridge having received her MSc in Behavioral Neuroscience under the supervision of Dr. Robbin Gibb. An active member of her community, she volunteers with Let’s Talk Science and Building Brains Together, and serves as a Director on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lethbridge and District. Claire joined the Palix Foundation in the summer of 2022 and is passionate about applying her skills and knowledge to build resilience within her community.
Attend here!

Operation Eyesight: World Sight Day
2025-10-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual, Canada
Join the Movement for Equitable Eye Care!
Operation Eyesight Universal, Seva Canada and Orbis Canada invite you to a powerful virtual webinar on the rising global and national demand for eye care. Explore emerging trends in global eye health, access across the life cycle and the role of policy in advancing equity. Learn how you can take action to protect vision and help eliminate avoidable vision loss worldwide.

Thursday, October 9th from 12-1pm EST / 10-11am MT
Register now: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/rCKowrONQyaMFgXk91pCTw

Webinar Wednesdays: The Atlas Institute’s Co-Designed Resources on Intimate Partner Violence for Veterans and Veteran Family Members
2025-10-08 14:00 - 15:30 | Virtual, Canada
Join us on Wednesday, October 8th, as the AVA Webinar Series presents The Atlas Institute’s Co-Designed Resources on Intimate Partner Violence for Veterans and Veteran Family Members, featuring Petra Babic, Victoria Carmichael, Robin Dziekan, Kaitlyn LaRiviere, and Ashlee Mulligan from the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families.
Wednesday, October 8th, 2025
2-3:30 p.m. EDT
This presentation will introduce the work of the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families (atlasveterans.ca), a national non-profit that collaborates with Veterans, Families, service providers, and researchers to improve mental health care and supports for Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police Veterans and their Families. It will provide an overview of the Institute’s mission and key activities, then focus on its intimate partner violence (IPV) resources, highlighting the co-design process involving Veterans, Family members, and service providers; summarizing the content and use of each resource with insights from contributors; and briefly outlining other related resources. The session will close with ways to stay informed about ongoing work and a short Q&A.
About the Speakers
Petra Babic is a certified life coach, peer support facilitator, and advocate with over 15 years of experience helping women through life transitions. As an ex-Veteran wife, she understands the unique challenges of military families. She has served as an advisory member for the Atlas Institute’s IPV resources project and supports research to improve IPV services. Her advocacy also addresses single parenting, the long-term effects on children, OSI/PTSI, codependency, social support, and the need for greater recognition of ex-spouses in the Veteran family system. Petra fosters compassionate, empowering spaces that promote healing, connection, and community.
Victoria Carmichael is a Senior Knowledge Mobilization Specialist at the Atlas Institute. In this role, she collaborates closely with Veterans, Family members, service providers and researchers to share knowledge in meaningful and accessible ways. Victoria’s background encompasses research, community engagement and project management, with a focus on stigma, violence prevention and suicide prevention. She also holds a Master of Science in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation from the University of Oxford.
Robin Dziekan is a stakeholder engagement professional working for the Atlas Institute. She has a BA in psychology from the University of Ottawa. She is the daughter of two Canadian Armed Forces Veterans – as such, working for a not-for-profit focused on improving the mental health and well-being and Veterans and their Families is of great personal importance to her. Robin has been working in the field of stakeholder engagement for the past seven years. During this time, she has ensured a variety of stakeholder perspectives have been included in projects ranging from health care standards to knowledge mobilization resources
Kaitlyn LaRiviere is a Registered Social Worker and counsellor with over nine years of experience supporting military and Veteran families through the Military Family Resource Centre. She offers compassionate, trauma-informed support for navigating transitions, trauma, and family challenges, with specialized training from the When Love Hurts program and the Battered Women’s Support Services. With a deep understanding of military community stressors, Kaitlyn is committed to fostering resilience, safety, and healing.
Ashlee Mulligan is the Director of Partnerships of Stakeholder Engagement at the Atlas Institute, where she works to promote engagement, collaboration and knowledge exchange, in view of foundationally embedding the lived experience and expertise of Veterans and Veteran Families in the networks we are building and the work we do. Ashlee has a Master of Science (specialization in neuroscience) and a background in women’s studies and psychology.
Attend here!

Applying GIPA and MEWA in HIV work
2025-10-08 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual, Canada
The Frameworks, Values & Rights / Activating Equity in Health Research (on AEHR) talk series offers an opportunity for experts to teach about the core frameworks and values of the Women-Centred HIV Care Hub, including their application to women’s health and the realms of research, academia, medicine, and community. On AEHR talks present a podcast-style session where one to two guest experts share their perspectives, applications, and future steps in advancing equity in health research.
The Mentoring Future Leaders: Insights and Dialogue sessions feature established leaders in women’s health who share mentorship insights, their career journeys, and pearls of wisdom, followed by audience discussion and Q&A.​
​The Clinical Talks series provides a space for candid conversation around clinical topics related to the field of women, HIV, and health. The discussions are led by clinical researchers and health care providers, beginning with an informative presentation on the topic and closing with an open Q&A to spotlight community concerns.
Learn more here!

Empowering Women and Girls to Build Stronger Communities Through Food Security
2025-10-02 15:00 - 17:00 | 101 Lyon St. N, Ottawa Ontario, Canada
According to the Global Report on Food Crisis, more than 295 million people faced acute hunger in 2024, which is the sixth consecutive annual increase. In food-insecure regions like Thailand, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Haiti, women are often the last to eat and the first to sacrifice their own nutrition for their families especially during crises.
Complex and interlinked set of drivers including conflict, extreme climate conditions, and economic shocks are mutually aggravated, which disproportionately exacerbates population-specific vulnerabilities such as unequal access to livelihood resources needed to improve quality of life and standards of living.
Consequently, contextually relevant solutions for resilience building and recovery are critical pillars needed to support food security, income, and overall community well-being. Compassion Canada, World Renew and Thrive for Good will be discussing our programming to combat this issue globally.
This event will:

Highlight the intersection of food security and gender equality as a critical dimension of Canada’s triple nexus global strategy.
Present evidence-based approaches of Canadian NGOs that empower women and girls through agriculture, climate adaptation, and community development.
Engage policymakers and practitioners in dialogue on strengthening collaboration between NGOs and government actors in implementing the Feminist International Assistance Policy.

RSVP through: Sacha Bunting, sbunting@compassion.ca or Andrew Defor, adefor@beaconnorthstrategies.com

19th World Congress of the World Association for Infant Mental Health (WAIMH)
2025-10-02 07:00 - 2025-10-06 17:00 | Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Infant and Early Mental Health Promotion (IEMHP) at The Hospital for Sick Children is thrilled to welcome you to the vibrant and diverse city of Toronto for the 19th WAIMH World Congress in 2026. The event’s theme, “Harmony in Diversity: Nurturing the Youngest Minds Around the World,” invites infant and early mental health professionals from across the globe to come together and exchange lived experiences, cutting-edge research, clinical and practice insights, and cultural perspectives, fostering collaboration and advancing the field on an international stage.

Join Us at the 19th Congress of the World Association for Infant Mental Health (WAIMH)
October 2–6, 2026 | Toronto, Canada
Theme: Harmony in Diversity: Nurturing the Youngest Minds Around the World

We are thrilled to invite you to join us at the 19th biennial WAIMH Congress in Toronto, hosted by Infant and Early Mental Health Promotion (IEMHP) at The Hospital for Sick Children. This prestigious global gathering brings together nearly 2,000 delegates — researchers, policymakers, clinicians, and practitioners — committed to the mental health and well-being of infants and their families.
The world’s youngest citizens are growing up amid global adversity — social unrest, natural disasters, persistent inequality, and fractured systems of care. Yet, our work in infant mental health is guided by the belief that connection and diversity are sources of strength. This Congress will serve as a platform to celebrate and explore this belief through rich cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural dialogue.
Toronto, Canada, provides an inspiring setting for this gathering — a place where global and local perspectives meet. From showcasing pioneering approaches and Indigenous leadership to sharing Canada’s experiences in advancing equity in early life, the Congress will offer insights that resonate far beyond national borders — enriching our shared global movement for infant and family well-being.
Attend here!

Webinar Wednesdays: Implementing Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapies for Youth in Specialized Settings
2025-10-01 14:00 - 15:30 | Virtual, Canada
Join us on Wednesday, October 1st, as the AVA Webinar Series presents Implementing Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapies for Youth in Specialized Settings, featuring Dr. David Lindenbach from the University of Calgary & Hull Services.
Wednesday, October 1st, 2025
2 – 3:30pm EDT
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has the strongest evidence base among psychotherapy programs and is a first-line treatment for many mental health conditions across the lifespan. Accordingly, CBT is commonly used with youth in the child welfare system even though there is little research conducted on CBT in the child welfare system. This talk will highlight the adaptation, implementation and evaluation of transdiagnostic CBT for youth at Hull Services, a non-profit youth mental health provider in Calgary that works with many families in the child welfare system. We discuss modifications made for CBT delivery at Hull Services in: therapeutic campus-based care (aka, residential treatment), a school for students with exceptional needs, and a family-based program for Indigenous peoples.
About the Speaker
David Lindenbach is the Director of Research at Hull Services and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Calgary. He leads a community-based research program that uses transdiagnostic approaches to investigate the prevention and treatment of developmental trauma. The research is problem-focused, so it is designed to improve care locally at Hull Services while providing generalizable research knowledge that moves the whole youth mental health field forward. In less than two years as a new investigator, he has raised over $500,000 in grants as lead applicant, and has developed new lines of research into: implementing CBT and the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics, co-designing therapeutic recreation programs and supports for the transition to adulthood, and using reflective practice to support staff wellness.
Attend here!

Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy After Eight Years: What Have We Learned So Far?
2025-09-29 15:30 - 17:00 | University of Ottawa, 120 University Private, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Presented by CIPS, the Gender, Peace, and Development Research Network (GPD-RN), the Research Network on Women, Peace and Security and the Group of 78
Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP) was announced in 2017, followed by several other commitments in support of Canada’s Feminist Foreign Policy. For example, “the women, peace and security agenda is at the heart of Canada’s Feminist Foreign Policy, which includes the Feminist International Assistance Policy and Defence Policy” (Government of Canada, 2024). After eight years of programming, debates, and multisectoral discussions, it is an important moment for reflection on what we have learned so far from Canada’s FIAP.
This event adds to a rich and detailed analysis of policy rhetoric by focussing on some of the practical experiences of organizations tasked with implementation of programming under the FIAP, as well as critical and analytical insights from scholars and practitioners.
The panel builds on earlier events organized by the Gender, Peace and Development Research Network and the Centre for International Policy Studies (CIPS) including the April 30, 2025 event by emerging scholars titled “What Can We Learn From How Canada’s FIAP is Landing in Latin America and the Caribbean?”. One of the major themes that emerged from this previous event was the importance of a feminist approach to development as described by the partner organizations in Haiti, Jamaica/CARICOM and Colombia, particularly when combined with a commitment to connecting to local feminist priorities from partner countries. See, also, the June 6, 2025 blog by these presenters.
Other important insights on feminist foreign policy enrich our discussion on Canada’s FIAP including the September 11, 2025 event on Strengthening the Representation of Women in Diplomacy: Challenges and Policy Solutions; the August, 2025 Policy Brief by Lilly Nicholls titled How FIAP Broke Glass Ceilings in Canadian Diplomacy – And Should Go Further; and Beth Woroniuk’s August 21, 2025 analysis: Canada, Financing for Development and Gender Equality: Looking for Leadership.
The Gender, Peace and Development Research Network (as part of the Centre for Policy Studies at the University of Ottawa) and the Group of 78 invite you to join us for this important new conversation where we will reflect on some of the successes of programs funded under FIAP, lessons learned, and priorities for future initiatives.
Attend here!

Health Together - Youth access to contraception in Canada: What happens when cost is removed?
2025-09-29 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual, Canada
This is a free webinar for the love of learning. No CEU/CPD/PDA

Please join Health Together… for a webinar by Dr. Sarah Munro. The webinar is open to all and free of charge. We host webinars every two months. All welcome!

Please join our mailing list by emailing: mihcancares@gmail.com (link sends e-mail)

Learning Objectives from Webinar:

Discuss the barriers facing youth in Canada who seek or consider contraception care.
Summarize the impacts of a provincial policy in British Columbia to provide free prescription contraception.
Reflect on the role of creative tools in addressing health and social issues.

Dr. Sarah Munro
Sarah Munro, PhD, MA, BA Hon, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Systems and Population Health School of Public Health University of Washington and the Director of the Reproductive Choices Lab (www.reprochoiceslab.org). Dr. Munro conducts health services research with a focus on knowledge mobilization and implementation science to understand, What are the factors that influence equitable access to high-quality, culturally-safe, sexual and reproductive health care for equity-deserving populations? She leads several large national and international studies in close partnership with patients, including a community-based investigation to understand youth contraception access in Canada, The Ask Us Project.
Victoria Paller – Co-Presenter

Victoria recently completed her MSc in the Women+ and Children’s Health Sciences Program at UBC, where her thesis focused on youth access to contraception in BC under the supervision of Dr. Sarah Munro and Dr. Laura Schummers. She also holds a BHSc from the University of Ottawa and is passionate about advancing access to sexual and reproductive health through community-engaged research.

Kaiya Jacob – Co-Presenter

Kaiya BBJacob (she/her) is a MSW student at York University, a published scholar, trained doula, community worker, and researcher. Born and raised on unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territories as settler of mixed Swedish, Irish, German, and Afro-Trinidadian descent, anti-oppression is central to her values and her work. In her Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Gender, Sexuality, Women’s Studies at Simon Fraser University, she focused on the role of communications in community building and advocacy for Black, racialized, and queer communities.

Attend here!

Confronting Residential School Denialism
2025-09-26 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual, Canada
English with French and ASL interpretation.

This session will actively confront one of the largest identified barriers to reconciliation: residential school denialism. Dr. Niigaanwewidam Sinclair and Residential School Survivor Eugene Arcand will dismantle the most frequent and inaccurate denialist arguments in a conversation moderated by Dr. Savage Bear.
Attend here!

Reflecting on the TRC’s Calls to Action 10 Years Later
2025-09-25 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual, Canada
English with French and ASL interpretation.

This session will reflect on the decade which has passed since the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action were published, including how many of the Calls have been fulfilled and what is still holding back progress.
Attend here!

Join us for the #LeadOnTB advocacy day on Parliament Hill!
2025-09-25 | Parliament Hill, (West Block lawn), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
While Canada has been a champion for tuberculosis (TB) elimination efforts through sustained investments in The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Stop TB Partnership’s TB REACH initiative, we are falling short on both global and national commitments.
Canada has failed to meet its fair share contribution to research and development for TB every year since the UN targets were set in 2018, and domestic investments are insufficient to end TB within our borders, which disproportionately affects Indigenous and newcomer populations. However, there are many opportunities this year for Canada to be a leader in the quest to eliminate TB – the world’s deadliest infectious disease – at home and abroad! We just need the political will to make it happen. And we need YOU!
TB advocacy day
Partners In Health, Results Canada, Stop TB Canada, Médecins Sans Frontières, TBPeople Canada, and TBFighters are organizing a TB advocacy day on Parliament Hill on September 25 to call on Canada to #LeadOnTB! Essentially it’s a day where passionate advocates descend on Ottawa to raise awareness of TB among our decision-makers and call on them to take action to help end this treatable and preventable disease. To get a sense of the experience, watch TBFighters’ video on the TB Hill Day that happened this April in Washington, DC.
There’s no prior experience required to participate – we will provide all the training! Please note that we will try to match you with your own Member of Parliament (MP) where possible, but cannot guarantee that you will meet with any particular parliamentarian.
Attend here!

Webinar Wednesdays: From Tension to Transition- Central Alberta’s Journey to Regional Victim Services
2025-09-24 14:00 - 15:30 | Virtual, Canada
Join us on Wednesday, September 24th, as the AVA Webinar Series presents From Tension to Transition: Central Alberta’s Journey to Regional Victim Services, featuring Lauren Reid from Central Alberta Regional Victim Serving Society (CARVSS).
Wednesday, September 24th, 2025
12 – 1:30pm MST
What does it take to dismantle and rebuild a province-wide victim services system? In this frank and informative session, CARVSS CEO Lauren Reid explores the driving forces, community tensions, and operational realities behind Alberta’s transition to regional victim services. She offers firsthand insights from CARVSS’s first year — navigating grief, resistance, innovation, and resilience — and invites conversation about what meaningful systems change looks like in victim support.
About the Speaker
Lauren Reid is a passionate leader with over 15 years in Victim Services, from Edmonton’s inner city to rural RCMP detachments. She’s held roles from frontline Advocate to Program Manager, Executive Director, and Board Director, with experience overseeing both Victim Services and Restorative Justice programs. With a background in social services, library systems, and Municipal leadership, Lauren brings a unique blend of strategy, empathy, and humour to her work. Now CEO of CARVSS, she’s focused on building meaningful programs, fostering strong teams, and ensuring every person impacted by crime or tragedy is met with dignity and compassion.
Attend here!

The Ongoing Legacy of the Residential School System through Child Welfare
2025-09-24 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual, Canada
English with French and ASL interpretation.

This session will look at the direct throughline from the residential school system to the Sixties Scoop through to the overwhelming number of Indigenous children in child welfare today, including the directly related aspect of forced and coerced sterilizations of Indigenous women. CFS worker Roxanne Balan will moderate a discussion between Residential School Survivor Vivian Ketchum and reproductive justice support worker Shelby Ponace.
Attend here!

Uncovering the Truth: Ground Searches
2025-09-23 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual, Canada
English with French and ASL interpretation.

This session will look into the technicalities of what a ground search constitutes and many of the questions around why and how they should be done. The conversation will combine the lived experience of Residential School Survivors Francis Dickie Yuzicapi and Jacquie Bouvier with the technical expertise of moderator Bryton Bigelow.
Attend here!

Surviving the Residential School System
2025-09-22 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual, Canada
English with French and ASL interpretation.

This session will consider the reason why we say “Survivor” rather than “graduate”, and how many Survivors of residential schools found solace through the media of sports and the arts. Artist and Residential School Survivor Antoine Mountain and author Janice Forsyth will be joined in conversation with moderator Dr. Vanessa Watts.
Attend here!

Truth and Reconciliation Week 2025
2025-09-22 - 2025-09-26 | Virtual, Canada
Truth and Reconciliation Week 2025 is a transformative five-day journey for students (grades 1-12), educators, and the broader community to engage with the poignant history and enduring spirit of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
Explore interactive workshops, witness the profound “The Gifts We Carry” youth empowerment gathering, engage in meaningful dialogues, and contribute to our collective path toward reconciliation.

September 22 to 26

+ IN PERSON Youth Empowerment Gathering on September 18th (Halifax) & Live Broadcast from Parliament Hill on September 30th (Ottawa)

This free, online educational program is brought to you by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. Programming is available in English, French, and ASL.

Learn more here!

CanWaCH Academy 2025
2025-09-22 - 2025-09-25 | Virtual, Canada
Brush off your favourite notebooks this back-to-school season — the CanWaCH Academy returns from September 22 to 25! Shaped by the theme Adapting to Change: Strengthening Capacity in a Shifting World, this year’s sessions are designed to help members adapt and respond to a rapidly changing world. From navigating advocacy in a shifting geopolitical landscape to building strategies for impactful storytelling, the Academy will offer timely, skills-based learning to support resilience and strengthen capacity.
As humanitarian needs increase and more members work in fragile and crisis-affected settings, the Academy will also explore how we can collaborate more effectively to support women, children and adolescents in the most challenging contexts.
View the CanWaCH Academy program and register today

Webinar Wednesdays: Insights from the Brazilian Unified Health System
2025-09-17 14:00 - 15:30 | Virtual, Canada
Join us on Wednesday, September 17th, as the AVA Webinar Series presents Insights from the Brazilian Unified Health System, featuring Mayara Alves Luis from the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Brazil.
Wednesday, September 17th, 2025
12 – 1:30pm MST
Violence is a major public health concern with far-reaching consequences for individuals, families, and communities. In Brazil, the public health system plays a central role in both responding to and preventing violence. Through a combination of surveillance, care, intersectoral collaboration, and public policies, Brazil has developed unique approaches and lessons that can inform broader global efforts in addressing violence as a public health issue. During the webinar, we will explore: 1) understanding violence as a public health issue, 2) epidemiological data and surveillance systems, 3) the role of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), 4) intersectoral strategies and policies, 5) challenges and gaps, and 6) lessons learned and international relevance.
About the Speaker
Mayara Alves Luis holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Public Health from the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Brazil. She is a member of the Laboratory of Studies on Violence, Health, and Accidents (LAVISA), where she contributes to research on violence prevention and public health. Currently, she works as a nurse in the Violence Prevention Unit in Vitória, Espírito Santo. She also serves as a technical adviser at the General Coordination for Epidemiological Surveillance and Violence Prevention at the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Her work focuses on strengthening epidemiological surveillance to support violence prevention efforts.
Attend here!

Funding Health, Advancing LGBTIQ Equality: Why the Global Fund Matters Now
2025-09-17 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual, Canada
This event will include simultaneous English/French interpretation.
Join the HIV Legal Network and the Stephen Lewis Foundation for a vital conversation on why the Global Fund’s replenishment is crucial for LGBTIQ health and rights worldwide.
What to expect:

Learn how the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria supports LGBTIQ communities.
Hear directly from LGBTIQ leaders in Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ukraine about its impact on their work.
Discover how Canadian organizations and individuals can push for bold action from our government to ensure strong funding.

Why now? The Trump Administration’s cuts to global HIV and LGBTIQ funding have left countless communities without lifesaving programs. With many grassroots organizations under threat, the Global Fund remains a lifeline. But its future depends on strong pledges from donor countries to keep the work fully funded.
This year, Canada will decide its next three year pledge. With competing priorities before MPs and the Prime Minister, our voices are needed more than ever to call for bold Canadian leadership in global health and equality.
Who should attend? The event is open to all, with a focus on how Canadian organizations and individuals can take action to support Global Fund replenishment.
Featuring:

Dr. Notisha Massaquoi, Assistant Professor at University of Toronto– Scarborough, Founder and Director of the Black Health Equity Lab (moderator)
Claudia Ahumada, Manager, Civil Society and Communities Advocacy, Global Fund
Allan Mwasa, Strategic Initiatives Executive, Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG)
Lenny Emson, Member Expert of the National Expert Group on LGBTQI+ Health and Rights in Ukraine and Board Member of Outright International
TBC

Attend here!

NCTR Education Presentations: Part 3: Reconciliation and Resilience: Moving Forward Together
2025-09-16 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual, Canada
Special 3-Part Learning Series
Join our special 3-part learning series, “Understanding the Residential School System: From Historical Legacy to Ongoing Impacts, Reconciliation, and Resilience,” offered exclusively in September 2025 via Zoom. Designed primarily for businesses and organizations to educate their staff, this series is open to all for a cost of $1000 per organization. Links for the Zoom sessions will be provided once an organization has secured their spot. Please note, this series will not be recorded and it will not be possible to access a previous session if an organization registers after the series has begun. More details on each session are provided below.
Part 3: Reconciliation and Resilience: Moving Forward Together
What reconciliation can look like through the lens of Indigenous legal rights, allyship, and confronting residential school denialism.

Date: September 16, 2025
Time: 12PM CDT

Attend here!

New Innovations to Reduce Maternal and Child Mortality: Tools to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
2025-09-12 15:00 - 16:00 | The Chan Centre for Family Health Centre Education, 950 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Please join the UBC Department of Pediatrics and Institute for Global Health for a Pediatric Grand
Rounds by Dr. Stephen Rulisa, visiting professor and clinician from Rwanda, on “New Innovations to Reduce Maternal and Child Mortality: Tools to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.
Learning objectives:

Highlight global trends in maternal and child mortality in relation to SDG targets.
Discuss innovative technologies, interventions, and strategies to reduce maternal and child mortality.

Everyone is welcome! We would love to see you in-person at the Chan Centre at BCCHR, but if you are unable to attend, the Zoom details are provided here.

Global Reads - AKFC's Book Club (September Edition)
2025-09-11 17:30 - 19:30 | Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat, 199 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 1K6, Canada
We live in a time of complex, interconnected challenges — where traditional solutions often fall short and real change demands new ways of thinking and acting. Join AKFC for an evening of thought-provoking discussions about Everyday Habits for Transforming Systems: The Catalytic Power of Radical Engagement. This book is a powerful exploration of how everyday habits can spark transformation in the systems that shape our lives.
In this session, celebrated author and systems change expert, Adam Kahane will be joined by The Honourable Farah Mohamed, to discuss how everyday practices of radical engagement can help us tackle today’s most urgent challenges. Together, they will lead attendees in a dialogue on what it takes to shift entrenched systems by leaning into collaboration, curiosity, and resilience.
If you’re passionate about creating positive change, working across differences, and finding practical ways to transform complex challenges, this event is for you.
Additional information for attendees:

When you register, please indicate your interest in attending in-person at the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat or attending online (Zoom) by selecting the relevant ticket option.
Networking/Refreshments: In-person attendees are encouraged to participate in an informal networking session and enjoy refreshments after the event.
Please note that this event will be offered in English only.

Attend here!

Webinar Wednesdays: U.S. Pregnancy-Associated Suicide
2025-09-10 14:00 - 15:30 | Virtual, Canada
Join us on Wednesday, September 10th, as the AVA Webinar Series presents U.S. Pregnancy-Associated Suicide, featuring Dr. Qing Li from Rocky Mountain Regional Chapter of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (RM-SAHM) in Denver, Colorado.
Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
12 – 1:30pm MST
Pregnancy-associated suicide is a leading cause of maternal mortality in the U.S. Intimate partner adversity (IPA), including conflict, violence, and relationship breakdown, is a common factor in female suicides and worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study examined trends and circumstances of pregnancy-associated suicide from 2018 to 2022 using data from the U.S. National Violent Death Reporting System. We analyzed 406 incidents across 36 jurisdictions with complete reporting. Annual suicides decreased by 6% from 79 (2018–2019) to 74 (2020–2021), then increased by 23% to 91 in 2022. The proportions of IPA and firearm involvement both rose and fell over time (IPA: 45%, 48%, 34%; firearms: 37%, 46%, 31%). Mental health problems (62%), IPA (43%), and firearms (39%) were common. Among 529 incidents from 49 jurisdictions, suicides involving IPA were more likely to include firearms, alcohol problems, intent disclosed to a partner (all p<0.01), and homicide-suicide (p=0.04). In 13 homicide-suicides, 20 children were additional victims. These findings highlight unique risks associated with IPA-related suicides. Screening and interventions targeting mental health, firearm access, IPA, and alcohol use among reproductive-age women may help prevent pregnancy-associated suicide.
About the Speaker
Qing Li, MD, DrPH, is a board member of the Rocky Mountain Regional Chapter of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine in Denver, Colorado. She is a certified relationship educator and an OB/GYN-trained perinatal and injury epidemiologist, holding a Doctor of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Li has trained OB/GYNs in China on safe delivery practices and in Mississippi on intimate partner violence screening. Her work focuses on building integrated data systems, evaluating culturally tailored preventive interventions, public health laws, collaborative quality improvement efforts, and integrated systems of care. She is committed to promoting safe motherhood, health equity, relational health, and family resilience.
Attend here!

Let's Chat Gender Equity: Gender Equity, Climate Action, and Adaptability
2025-09-10 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual, Canada
Spur Change invites small and medium-sized organizations (SMOs) and anyone else interested in the topic across Canada and abroad to take part in a conversation series on promoting gender equity in international cooperation. This community discussion series centers on gender equity through an intersectional lens and will be a knowledge sharing moment for the SMO speakers who will present new ideas and examples on how to implement gender innovative strategies in their own projects and programs.
Main Objectives

Highlight intersectional approaches to promoting gender equity implemented by Canadian SMOs and their partners.
Learn from case study examples, tools and methods for promoting gender equity and their applicability to future projects
Promote knowledge sharing within the SMO community and encourage open discussion amongst peers.

September 10: Gender Equity, Climate Action, and Adaptability

Speakers:

Ahumuza Ronah, Holistic Actions for Development and Empowerment (HADE)
Nicolas Mbengue, Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles
Ann Thomson, Salasan

More details and bios on the speakers will be shared soon! For now, check out their work and organizations at the links above.
Each session will be one hour and will take place from 12 noon – 1 pm EDT (9 am – 10 am PDT) over Zoom. The link will be provided after registration. Each speaker will have 10 minutes to present their work at the intersection of gender equity and the topic of the day and the remainder of the session will be a Q&A with participants. Please also note that this webinar will have simultaneous interpretation FR-EN.
Attend here!
