I moved to Ottawa in the fall of 1988 and the same year IVMW, now IWSO was created. It was only a couple of years later, that I became aware of a vibrant hub of organizations under one roof at 219 Argyle street in Ottawa. That address was a sanctuary and a meeting place for women and men of colour and the newly arrived.
In my quest to be involved in community, I responded to a call from Muslim women in Ottawa in April of 1989 to join the Canadian Council of Muslim Women. The invitation was to establish a new chapter of the National organization, CCMW that was founded in 1982 with Chapters across the country. The vision and objectives of CCMW were, and continue to be, Equality, Equity and Empowerment of Muslim Women. Just as with IWSO, CCMW aims to reflect the principles and spirit of the Canadian Charter of Rights of Freedoms, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

The Ottawa Chapter set up an office at 219 Argyle street on the same floor as IWSO. Mind you, the rent for us was $25 per month, so it was no problem for a small volunteer group with no money. It was a reflection of the times, when such a thing was possible! Catholic Immigration Centre (Now CCI) did and continues to do, such important work to make our communities empowered and flourish.
I met and bonded with strong feminist women at IWSO and also was introduced to the indefatigable Executive Director, Lucy Spencer, and other passionate women eager to advocate and improve understanding of immigrant women. These newcomers gravitated towards IWSO where they found acceptance and assistance in facilitating their adjustment to their new Canadian society.

In January of 2005 CCMW-Ottawa Chapter, was privileged to be among many local, national, international and indigenous organizations that were part of the IWSO organizing committee. IWSO took the lead in planning a big celebratory event named ‘Passion and Resolve,” that coincided with the appointment of Governor General Michaelle Jean, with the goal of “Celebrating our achievements and shaping our future together.” The event was held at the Congress Centre on March 20 with Governor General, Ms. Michaele Jean, as the Keynote speaker.
There was an excitement among us in Ottawa tying in the accomplishments of IWSO with the appointment of the first Haitian and Black woman to hold office of the Governor General.

The exciting event drew hundreds of women from all backgrounds who dressed in their cultural attires. I have a fond memory of bringing my late mom to the party and we were honoured to be introduced to the Governor General.
Collaborating with IWSO was a natural fit for the Canadian Council of Muslim Women as we supported each other’s funding proposals for projects of mutual interest.

• Working Together To End Violence Against Women in Muslim Community in 2010, was an extensive project lead by IWSO and partners like CCMW and the Ottawa Muslim Women’s Organization as well as others from Muslim Communities in Ottawa.
  An extensive report included the following recommendations:
  · to move beyond the outreach stage when addressing the issue of domestic violence.
  · the need for continuous funding for the campaign to foster current interest in the Muslim community
  · the need to reach an increasing number of male community members and leaders
  · the need to work in partnership with other organization and experts in the field

In August of 2013, we again held a joint training workshop on the topic of Eliminating Violence Against Women. IWSO staff assisted in setting up the room with food and materials for the workshop.
Few issues generate so much controversy and debate, as the wearing by some Muslim women of the Nikab, or the covering of the face, is often considered a symbol of Islamic extremism and oppression. In February 2014, we held a joint focus group on Women and the Nikab. Most women present told us that they covered due to their own volition. Hence a resource was published: https://www.ccmw.com/publications/2019/1/22/women-in-niqab-speak-a-study-of-the-niqab-in-canada
Other projects collaborated on with IWSO were Engaging Men and Boys to end violence in the Family in 2016. This was accomplished by holding a workshop with a toolkit. In Nov. 2017 we partnered on addressing barriers facing Muslim Women in Employment.
For me personally, being in the space that is IWSO is always an uplifting experience. The familiarity and ease talking with staff who reflect a feeling of genuine understanding puts women at ease when they first come into the office, anxiously looking for help in one of the many services offered by IWSO.

Mercy Lawluvi took over from retiring Lucy Spencer, in 2016, and our close working relationship has continued to this day. I can say that together, we have started many conversations on diversity and inclusivity of all women in Canada. A new generation is now at the helm of our organizations where there is always work left to be done to eliminate gender-based violence and misogyny faced by women of all backgrounds, and especially by newcomer women, some of whom come from war torn countries and are in dire need to see familiar faces and reassurance that all will be ok.

I am proud of organizations like IWSO who have contributed towards the essential building blocks of a healthy and vibrant community by nurturing the talent and experiences women bring and helping them ease into and enrich the fabric of Canadian Society.

For more information on the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, visit: https://www.ccmw.com/