A year of transitioning has turned into mobilizing a movement around the right to housing for women, Two-Spirit, trans, and gender-diverse people across Turtle Island.
As 2024 comes to a close, we take a moment to reflect on a year filled with transformative advocacy, meaningful collaborations, and significant progress in the fight for housing justice. At the heart of our work was the launch of our Intersectional Feminist Housing Agenda, a bold blueprint to address systemic barriers and advance equity for women and gender-diverse people in housing. This agenda has been a catalyst for action, guiding our efforts to challenge inequities and create lasting change.
Launching the Intersectional Feminist Housing Agenda
Our Intersectional Feminist Housing Agenda set the tone for our work this year, establishing a framework rooted in justice and equity. Following its launch, we quickly began meeting with key government stakeholders, including the Housing Minister’s Office, to advocate for the policy changes outlined in the agenda. We also submitted a comprehensive budget brief, emphasizing the need for government investment in equitable housing solutions. In the spring, we convened an organizing meeting to bring together partners and stakeholders, fostering alignment and momentum as we moved forward with this critical initiative.
Building Awareness and Exploring Solutions
In June, we partnered with the Urban Economy Forum, the World Urban Pavilion, the National Indigenous Women’s Housing Network, and other allies to host Housing Challenges for Women & Gender-Diverse People: Exploring Solutions and Support Systems. This two-day event brought together experts, advocates, and community members to raise awareness of the unique housing challenges faced by women and gender-diverse people, including homelessness. Through rich conversations and knowledge-sharing, we explored innovative solutions to these challenges, building collective power to address the crisis.
Advancing National Standards for Emergency Shelters
One of the year’s most significant achievements was the completion of the Solutions Lab project, which culminated in the release of National Standards for Emergency Shelters Across Canada in July. This milestone represents a critical step forward in ensuring that emergency shelters provide equitable and effective support for those who need them most. To complement this work, we also developed essential tools, including a Government Relations Advocacy Toolkit, a Government Action Guide, and a comprehensive report titled How to Build on the Work. These resources empower advocates across the country to push for meaningful policy changes and improved shelter conditions.
Strengthening Our Vision
In 2024, we also solidified our organizational foundation by developing our Theory of Change and Vision Statements. These guiding documents reflect our deep commitment to systemic change, intersectional advocacy, and a future where housing is recognized as a fundamental human right.
Read our Ultimate Impact Statement:
The work of the Women’s National Housing & Homelessness Network is to advance the diverse voices of women, girls, gender-diverse lived experts, and their allies to lead transformative, gender-specific solutions that reduce and end housing precarity and homelessness through adopting human rights and intersectional feminism approaches.
Check out our 5-year Theory of Change:
Amplifying Gender Rights on the Global Stage
Our advocacy extended beyond Canada’s borders this year as we participated in the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) review. As part of a coalition of women’s rights organizations, we submitted a joint report highlighting the urgent housing needs of women and gender-diverse people. Traveling to Geneva, we elevated these issues on the global stage, drawing international attention to the intersecting crises of housing and gender inequality.
Celebrating the Neha Review Panel Announcement
After two years of relentless advocacy and movement building, we celebrated the announcement of the Neha Review Panel. This milestone represents a significant victory for the right to housing movement, with the appointment of three outstanding panel members and a robust terms of reference. The opening of the written submission portal marks the beginning of an important process to address housing injustices across Canada.
Empowering Communities with Tools and Training
Our work this year was deeply rooted in community empowerment. We launched Mobilizing on the Right to Housing for Women and Gender-Diverse People, a comprehensive toolkit designed to equip advocates with the knowledge and resources they need to drive change. The toolkit launch was accompanied by the unveiling of our new website, genderhousingjustice.ca, a hub for information and action.
In addition, we kicked off our Community Champion Training program, providing grassroots leaders with the skills and tools needed to advocate for housing rights in their own communities. This program underscores our commitment to building capacity at every level, ensuring that the fight for housing justice is informed and led by those with lived experience.
Engaging at Key Conferences
The 2024 National Conference on Ending Homelessness was a highlight of the year. We met directly with Neha Review Panel members, engaging in productive conversations that revealed alignment and shared values. The conference also saw a record-breaking number of sessions in the Women’s Homelessness Stream, curated by the WNHHN. These sessions provided a critical platform to spotlight innovative solutions and foster collaboration across sectors.
We also presented the national shelters at the Enchante Network’s Together for Change conference. In collaboration with the National Indigenous Women’s Housing Network, we presented at the BC Assembly of First Nations Housing & Homelessness Forum and contributed to a panel discussion at Housing Central focused on advancing housing rights for women and gender-diverse people.
Advocating for the Right to Housing in Canada
This fall, we amplified our advocacy efforts across various platforms. On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we participated in a press conference organized by Battered Women’s Support Services, drawing attention to the intersection of violence and housing insecurity.
We also contributed a chapter on housing to the Beijing+30 review, highlighting the critical intersections of gender and housing in global policy discussions. Read more here.
Standing in Solidarity on Encampments
In response to ongoing encampment clearings in Ontario, we joined partners in releasing a joint statement affirming the right to housing and dignity. This statement is part of our broader effort to advocate for systemic change and challenge policies that criminalize homelessness.
Looking Ahead
As we move into 2025, we carry forward the momentum of this remarkable year. Our collective efforts have laid a strong foundation for systemic change, but the fight for housing justice continues. We remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing an intersectional feminist approach to housing, amplifying the voices of women and gender-diverse people, and creating a future where everyone has access to safe, dignified housing.
Thank you to our partners, supporters, and communities for making this work possible. Together, we are building a more equitable world—one step at a time.
