The Women’s Wellness Alliance of Durham Region:
why is it necessary?
A woman’s ability to protect her health is infinitely complicated by social and economic factors.
For example, protection from HIV infection is not simply a matter of giving her a condom or a clean needle—she may be unable to protect her own health because of problems arising from her lived experience, such as an unstable family home, or enduring physical or sexual violence. She may experience food or housing insecurity that could threaten both her life and that of her children, or face barriers stemming from being racialized or marginalized.
Where among all these challenges does her own health rank?
Often, it's far down on her list of priorities--and in some cases, has been dismissed by all her other challenges. In Durham Region, even searching for the help available can be a confusing experience because there is no central resource giving her access to all this information.
Her health challenge could be complicated by encountering barriers or gaps in the social services she needs for support. A woman, in need of help, pushed beyond her ability to cope by one or more obstacles in her struggle to live a healthy life, often ends up silently suffering…until something drastic can happen. And then she might become just another headline.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Challenge:
Vulnerable women in our community are surviving without access to the support they need to remain healthy.
The Answer:
An organized mechanism to identify issues in women’s health, develop strategic solutions., and communicate this information to women in need. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Where to begin?
One: Let's start with a needs assessment to overview the resources available to assist women, and pinpoint the gaps, barriers and problems in our Region which inhibit women’s access to health services.
Two: Then we'll develop an organized response of community advocacy. This website will become an Information Portal, run by our community, that lists all the services available and documents the work we are doing to help Durham Region women.
Doesn't that sound like a good and worthwhile way to help the women who are most in need?
The new Coalition welcomes all members, especially social service agencies, all levels of government and concerned community residents. Join us in making Durham Region a healthy and safe place for all women.
For more information, email us at: [email protected]
