Advocacy
Community support, events & projects for change
Find out how you can contribute
The Advocacy Committee meets the first Monday of the month at 4 pm, by Zoom in the Winter and hybrid Zoom/in-person in Spring and Fall.
All CFUW Victoria members are welcome to join the committee. If you don’t have time to participate on the committee all year, but are interested in helping at an event, we would welcome your contribution. Just contact us at advocacy@cfuwvictoria.ca and tell us what event you are interested in. Also, if you have ideas for priorities for us to focus on, events to participate in, or local groups that we would partner with, please let us know.
Community Support
Coldest Night of the Year
Events
16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
Projects for Change
Equality for Kinship Care
Speakers & Donations
- Inviting speakers from local service agencies and encouraging donations from members at our annual Christmas Lunch. Past speakers have been from the Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees, the Camosun College Foodbank and Victoria Women’s Transition House.
Fundraising
- Participating in Fundraising Walks, including the Coldest Night of the Year Walkathons in Langford and Victoria to support agencies that provide services to people experiencing homelessness and or food insecurity and the Right to Learn Afghanistan Red Pashmina Walk to support education of women and girls in Afghanistan.
Volunteering
- Volunteering and encouraging donations to community groups in our neighbourhoods. Groups supported in the past include Soap For Hope Canada, an organization that repurposes soap, hygiene products and linens from hotels and distributes them to facilities serving vulnerable people and Esquimalt Neighbourhood House Society, a charity that offers resources and services to support children, youth, families and seniors.
National & Provincial Advocacy
- Sharing Information on CFUW national and provincial advocacy priorities
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- CFUW National Advocacy website: Advocacy – Canadian Federation of University Women
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- CFUW BC Advocacy website: CFUW BC Council – Advocacy
- Advocacy members participate in monthly Zoom calls with other clubs in BC. It is a great way to learn what the clubs are doing in their communities and share information.
- Advocating for change to address the inequities in government support for children raised by relatives (Kinship Care) and the provision of better home care support to allow seniors to age in place.
Past Events
- Showing films on International Women’s Day to celebrate women. A recent film was a documentary featuring Canadian author Margaret Atwood.
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Hosting a Vigil and working with a local school to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
Annual Events
September
- Red Pashmina Walk, Right to Learn Afghanistan (date varies)
- Orange Shirt Day (Sept 30)
November
- 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (Nov 25-Dec 10)
February
- Coldest Night of the Year (date varies)
March
- International Women’s Day (Mar 8)
May
- Red Dress Day (May 5)
- Moose Hide Campaign (May 15)
Night Light Walk
October 21/25, 7:00 pm
We are walking to raise funds for The Cridge Supportive Transitional Housing, an emergency shelter for women and children fleeing violence or abuse in their homes. Click this link to register (and donate) and receive a cool red toque with a light and a glow bracelet. We will meet at the main front door of the Esquimalt Gorge pavilion between 6:30 and 6:45 pm.
Join Us on the Red Pashmina Walk
Sunday, September 7, 2025
Registration: 10:00 am
Right to Learn Afghanistan is a Canadian charity supporting education rights for women and girls in Afghanistan.