June,
1985:
Seventeen Women with disAbilities from across Canada gathered
together to discuss issues of concern. From this meeting, DAWN Canada
was founded. DisAbled women organized across the country, keeping in
touch by mail and phone, and finally they received funding from the
Secretary of State for some special projects.
DisAbled
Women, having both the determination and commitment to address women's
issues, have continued to organize DAWN groups on a local, provincial,
and national level.
1992: DAWN Ontario was formed, Incorporated and received
Charitable Status.
1993: DAWN Ontario produced brochures on: disabled mothers;
sexuality; and how to talk to your doctor: I Want To Be A Mother;
Je Veux Etre Mere; You and Your Doctor: Partners in Care; Votre Medecin
et Vous: une Collaboration Essentielle; Women with Disabilities Talk
About Sexuality; Les Femmes Handicapees Parlent de leur Sexualite.
Other publications include an Access Checklist (available in French)
and A Guide for Health Care Professionals (available in French).
1994: DAWN Ontario publishes A Process for Change:
Health & Disabled WOmen Project, The Evaluator's Report
DAWN
Ontario publishes Women with Disabilities & Mothering: Sharing
Our Stories, Exploring Our Options, A Symposium Report
DAWN Ontario publishes We Are Those Women! A Training Manual
For Working With Women With Disabilities In Shelters & Sexual Assault
Centres
DAWN
Toronto publishes Staying Healthy in the Nineties: Women with Disabilities
Talk About Health Care
DAWN
Toronto publishes Violence Against Women with Disabilities: Practical
Considerations for Health Care Professionals
DAWN
Toronto publishes Strengthening the Links, Stopping the Violence:
A Guide to the Issue of Violence Against Women with Disabilities
DAWN
Toronto publishes Disabled? Sexually Assaulted? Need Help? Sexual
Assault and Women with Disabilities
1997:
DAWN Ontario publishes the Annotated
Bibliography and A Statement of Need re: Violence Against Women With
Disabilities: This project, funded by the Ministry of Citizenship,
was an interactive needs assessment used to determine what information
is available for consumers of service, service providers and family
members in respect to understanding or assisting women with disabilities
having to deal with a variety of circumstances such as abuse, violence,
neglect, or access to services which are appropriate.
1998: DAWN Ontario launches new website (phase 1) created
by a volunteer, a Woman living with a brain injury.
DAWN Ontario becomes an active Organizational Member and Partner
of the Ontarians with Disabilities
Act Committee and takes on responsibility for recreating and maintaining
the ODA Committee website.
1999:
DAWN Ontario participates as members of an Ad Hoc Committee of the National
Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) on Gender Analysis of the
Immigration Act.
DAWN Ontario closes its office in Sudbury and relocates office to North
Bay. The Network is operated solely by volunteers, without funding,
and remains committed to rebuilding the Network to ensure a provincial
voice for Women with disabilities.
2000:
DAWN Ontario
launches an Online
Discussion List for Women with Disabilities as a forum for information
sharing, the exchange of dialogue, developing and strengthening our
Network and building an online community for self-advocates.
2001:
DAWN Ontario
launches Inclusion Leadership Award in
an effort to raise awareness of the need for Inclusion and recognize
the efforts of individuals and organizations that exemplify Inclusion
Leadership by including people with disabilities in all life activities.
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