Projects/Partnerships
The Equality Fund
The Equality Fund was created in 2019 when the Government of Canada awarded The Equality Fund (formerly The Match International Women’s Fund) $300 million to “build a new global funding mechanism and leverage more resources for gender equality around the world. These funds will be invested and paired with ambitious programs to leverage philanthropic and bilateral donor support to create a long-term and self-sustaining source of funding for women’s rights organizations and movements in developing countries.” (www.EqualityFund.ca) PeopleSense is a major donor and supporter of the Equality Fund and it’s feminist grantmaking of grassroots women’s rights groups in Canada and globally.
Women Moving Millions – International
(501c3 funded through CAF Canada; Registration no.:801966334RR0001)
Women Moving Millions’ mission is to catalyze unprecedented resources toward the advancement of women and girls. As a growing global philanthropic community of 330 members in 15 countries, each of it’s members has given and/or pledged $1 million or more to organizations or initiatives (of their choosing) that benefit women and girls; addressing gender inequality. to date over $700 million U.S. has been committed/deployed. Since 2011, PeopleSense contnues as an active member serving on the Board.
Every Woman Treaty
(501c3 funded through CAF Canada; Registration.: 801966334RR0001)
“Treaties create a legal obligation under international law for nations to act. A treaty specific to ending violence against girls and women will change the world from a system of silence into one of accountability. It will also close the wide legal gaps that currently leave billions of women around the world unprotected from violence.
How? By mandating that nations enact the following package of evidence-based interventions proven to lower rates of violence:
- Legal. Laws make a difference; in nations with domestic violence laws, mortality rates for women are 32 percent lower.
- Training and accountability. For police, judges, nurses and doctors, and other professionals, which lead to increased prosecution of perpetrators and better treatment for survivors.
- Violence prevention education. Research shows that education influences boys’ and men’s attitudes and actions, and encourages women and girls to demand their rights.
- Services for survivors. Hotlines, shelters, legal advice, and other services ensure survivors receive treatment and protection, and have avenues for seeking justice.
- Fund it. Treaties catalyze funding. In the first 36 hours of the Mine Ban Treaty, nations pledged US$500 million toward implementation. The Every Woman Treaty fund aims for US$4 billion annually, or one dollar per female on earth.
This concerted effort transforms governments’ spotty implementation of interventions into a comprehensive, effective approach proven to increase women’s protection and safety.” (www.EveryWoman.org)
GROW – Canada-wide
(charities across Canada through Toronto Foundation; Registration no.: 136491875RR0001)
GROW is a Canadian community of women committed to promoting a tradition of philanthropy by combining individual donations to have a bigger impact in helping women and girls across Canada gain social and economic independence. With one level of membership ($10,000 per year per member) members provide pro-bono oversight so GROW can self-administer with 100% of funds donated by the members going directly to grass roots, scalable Canadian non-profit organizations pursuing innovative endeavours that benefit Canadian women and girls. GROW is not a registered charity but rather a giving circle that is “part philanthropy, part community, and part education”. Together members connect, learn and get involved. PeopleSense is a Founding Member.
Projects/Partnerships – Completed
Constitutional Challenge on behalf of little girls who had been raped – Kenya
(equality effect; Registration no.: 845378009RR0001)
On May 27, 2013 legal history was made that has had a profound and positive impact on 10 million Kenyan girls. PeopleSense Foundation was the largest single contributor and a partner with the equality effect, an Adviser, Board Member and Chair of the Board. Through PeopleSense’s funding and active participation a successful constitutional challenge representing girl child rape victims was realized and access to justice no longer denied. By challenging the system to uphold the laws progress was made towards reversing the disturbing and rising frequency of sexual assault of girls and increased public awareness and engagement to safeguard and uphold girls’ human right to live free of violence.
The Match International Women’s Fund – International
(Registration no.: 123037939RR0001)
For nearly 40 years Match provided funds in support of women’s rights in the global south primarily through the assistance of Canadian government funding. In 2011 the organization along with other charities was no longer being funded in any significant manner and was headed towards closure. To revitalize and refocus the fund a renewed initiative to garner wider public support was pursued. Commencing in 2013, PeopleSense became a Founding Member, joining the Granting Advisory Committee and the Board and Chairing the Fund Development Committee and later the Operations Committee. By 2018 Match had evolved to be a formidable funder with more than 650 partnerships with grassroots women’s groups in over 71 countries throughout the global south. Much of what the women’s rights activists are addressing includes gender and LGBTQ violence. In 2019, Match became the Equality Fund.
Canadian Women’s Foundation – Canada
(Registration no.: 129855607RR0001)
PeopleSense™ Foundation, from 2011-2019 actively supported the 10th largest women’s fund in the world: the Canadian Women’s Foundation by supporting their violence prevention work in Canada and annually engaging as one of many experts and advisers in the allocation of significant multi-year grants to initiatives in Canada that help women and their children rebuild their lives after abuse, teach male and female teens about healthy relationships and counsel children who have witnessed violence, to help them heal and prevent the cycle of abuse from continuing. PeopleSense™ supports those organizations dealing with the disturbing and unresolved disappearance and murder of hundreds of women, mostly aboriginal, along BC Highway 16: “The Highway of Tears” as well as, across Canada. In 2016 PeopleSense was appointed to the first ever Trafficking Advisory charged with the responsibility of allocating grants across Canada to address trafficking of women and girls. In 2019, CWF became a partner with the Equality Fund recieving significant ongoing financial support for their important work in Canada.
Social Franchise Health Care Clinic – Honduras
(Population Services International funded through Canada Gives; Registration no.: 833062144RR0001)
Actively engaged in the design of a proof of concept and sole funder of a social franchising model to provide clinics for poor women for their reproductive health care, rape crisis and domestic violence in Tegucigalpa, Honduras: one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a girl or woman.
Radio programming on gender-based violence, sexual violence, maternal and reproductive health and women’s rights – Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
(AFEM & MAMA Radio funded through Match Reg #123037939RR0001)
Highly successful radio programming with broad participation including field research interviews with Congolese women conducted by Congolese women journalists as well as articles posted on AFEM and Mama Radio websites .