Women's Programs

Support for women affected by female genital mutilation and cutting and by gender-based violence in Toronto — and the research and advocacy working to end FGM/C in Canada.

Health Economic stability FGM/C Gender-based violence
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Current projects

What's running now

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ActiveSeniors · Health

Gender-Based Violence (GBV)

Reduces social isolation among African senior women who survived FGM/C, and their families in Toronto — isolation that deepened through COVID-19 — and connects them to more specialised care.

What participants receive

Monthly medication, groceries and essentials based on urgent need · workshops teaching coping mechanisms for the effects of GBV and COVID-19 · support to overcome emotional trauma · referrals to specialised care

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ActiveCapacity building

GBV Shock Proofing

Reviews and adapts Uzima's service approaches and programs to better serve Black women and girls in Toronto. Gender-based violence rose during the pandemic, and this project expands the capacity-building work that began then.

Signature work

Ending FGM/C in Canada

Since 2016 Uzima has researched the effects of female genital mutilation and cutting in Toronto's African communities. The findings are published, and translated.

Research

The FGM/C report

Our findings from Toronto's African communities, with fact sheets translated into seven languages so the information reaches the people it is about.

Full report (PDF) English French Arabic
Awareness & advocacy

Female Genital Cutting Awareness Program

Uzima is a member of the End FGM/C Canada Network — a non-partisan group of individuals and organizations working to end female genital mutilation and cutting in Canada and globally.

February 6 — International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM

The network campaigns for proclamations in cities across Canada. Uzima joined the February 6 webinar where a panel presented and young girls sent a message to the Prime Minister urging Canada to address FGM more seriously.

endfgm.ca ↗ @CanadaFgm ↗ @endfgmcanada ↗
Completed work

Past projects

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Completed March 2024 Health Public Health Agency of Canada

The Flourish Project · April 2018 – March 2024

Funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada and implemented with Women's Health in Women's Hands Community Health Centre, Flourish worked to engage, empower and support women affected by FGM/C.

It developed education and awareness resources for survivors and for healthcare and community service providers, strengthened support systems through a service providers' framework, and built a sustainable virtual access pathway linking survivors and at-risk women aged 16 and over to care and referrals.

How to join

Who this is for, and how to reach us

1

Who's eligible

Women and girls aged 16 and over affected by or at risk of FGM/C, African senior women in Toronto, and survivors of gender-based violence.

2

What it costs

Free and confidential. Interpretation is available — tell us which language you would prefer.

3

Get in touch

Call (647) 748-8870 or email info@uzimawomeninternational.org. Service providers can use the referral path.

Need to leave this page quickly?

Talk Suicide Canada 988 · Assaulted Women's Helpline 1-866-863-0511 · in immediate danger call 911.

All crisis resources →
Partners & funders for this program
Public Health Agency of Canada
Women's Health in Women's Hands CHC
End FGM/C Canada Network

Fund this work

Your gift funds groceries and medication for isolated survivors, trauma-recovery workshops, and the translation of FGM/C resources into more languages.

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