View source for Canadian Voice of Women for Peace

{{Short description|Canadian anti-nuclear pacifist organization}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
'''Canadian Voice of Women for Peace''' ({{langx|fr|Voix des femmes canadiennes pour la paix}}), also known as the '''Voice of Women''' or '''VOW''', is a Canadian [[anti-nuclear]] [[Pacifist organisation|pacifist]] organization that was formed in 1960.<ref name="UIA">{{Cite web |url=https://uia.org/s/or/en/1100015817 |url-access= |title=Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW) |author1=Staff writer |year=2024 |department=UIA Global Civil Society Database |website=uia.org |publisher=[[Union of International Associations]] |agency=Yearbook of International Organizations Online |location=Brussels, Belgium |format= |arxiv= |asin= |bibcode= |doi= |doi-broken-date= |isbn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |lccn= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |osti= |pmc= |pmid= |rfc= |ssrn= |zbl= |id= |access-date=24 December 2024 |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |via= |quote= |trans-quote= |ref= |postscript=}}</ref> The organization was created in response to an article in which [[Lotta Dempsey]], a journalist for the ''[[Toronto Star]]'', called out for action against the threat of [[nuclear war]] and asked women to work together for peace.<ref name="VOWwebsite4">{{cite web|title=About Us – Canadian Voice of Women for Peace|url=http://vowpeace.org/about/|accessdate=April 12, 2012}}</ref> After the article was published, a group of women contacted Dempsey and formed a [[women's organization]] called the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace.<ref name="VOWwebsite4" /> The organization's work has spanned multiple decades and is Canada's oldest [[Feminism|feminist]] peace group.<ref name=":04">{{Cite journal|last=Early|first=Frances|date=2009|title=Re-imaging War: The Voice of Women, the Canadian Aid for Vietnamese Children, 1966–1976|journal=[[Peace and Change: A Journal of Peace Research]]|volume= 34| issue =  2|pages=148–163}}</ref><ref name=":15">{{Cite web|title=Vow Herstory|url=https://vowpeace.org/who-we-are/|url-status=live|access-date=November 19, 2021|website=vowpeace.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121213253/https://vowpeace.org/who-we-are/ |archive-date=November 21, 2021 }}</ref>
== Historical background ==
[[Peace movement|Peace activism]] expanded throughout much of North America during the mid to late twentieth century due to the controversies and violence surrounding the [[Cold War]] and [[Vietnam War]].<ref name=":0" /> In particular, many Canadian women resisted and opposed these two [[Political warfare|political wars]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Hagan|first=John|date=2001|title=Cause and Country: The Politics of Ambivalence and the American Vietnam War Resistance in Canada|journal=[[Social Problems]]|volume= 48| issue =  2|pages=168–184}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite book|last=Brookfield|first=Tarah|title=Cold War Comforts: Canadian Women, Child Safety, and Global Insecurity, 1945–1975|publisher=[[Wilfrid Laurier University Press]]|year=2012|pages=1–20}}</ref> To fight against the expansion of [[nuclear power]] and weapons during this era, the number of women-led Canadian [[List of pacifist organisations|pacifist]] organizations increased substantially.<ref name=":04" /><ref name=":15" /> Specifically, many Canadian women questioned the potential environmental and health impacts resulting from [[nuclear warfare]].<ref name=":5" />
=== Membership ===
The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace grew to six thousand members shortly after its formation in 1960.<ref name="VOWwebsite4" /> Originally, women joined the organization to combat the proliferation of nuclear technologies during the [[Cold War]].<ref name=":04" /> However, as the membership quickly increased throughout the country, the organization participated in multiple forms of [[Anti-war movement|anti-war]] activism.<ref name=":04" /> Many women who joined the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace participated in [[disarmament]] efforts, politics and [[social justice]] work within their respective communities.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Grady|first=Sylvia|title=Voice of Women (VOW) – Rise Up! Feminist Digital Archive|url=https://riseupfeministarchive.ca/activism/organizations/voice-of-women-vow/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-21|website=riseupfeministarchive.ca|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411214519/http://riseupfeministarchive.ca:80/activism/organizations/voice-of-women-vow/ |archive-date=April 11, 2018 }}</ref> Throughout its first few months of activism, the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace quickly became one of the largest Canadian peace movement organizations.<ref name=":04" /><ref name=":2" />
Prominent women associated with the VOW include [[Beatrice Ferneyhough]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Women's Education Des Femmes – Spring −1994 -Vol. 11 – No.1 – Page – 57 |url=http://en.copian.ca/litweb/other/cclow/newslet/1994/sprin_v11/57.htm |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=en.copian.ca}}</ref> [[Thérèse Casgrain]], [[Ursula Franklin]], [[Grace Hartman (trade unionist)|Grace Hartman]], and [[Kay Macpherson]].
=== Structure ===
The organizational structure of the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace has historically been based on a [[Feminism|feminist]] approach of building and promoting peaceful cultures.<ref name=":15" /> To accommodate the large membership across the country, the VOW has branches in multiple major Canadian cities.<ref name=":15" /> Throughout the years, the advocacy work of each branch has been organized by the National Central Committee (NCC).<ref name=":2" /> The NCC is the VOW's governing body that maintains the organization's feminist goals and creates different peace-building advocacies throughout the country.<ref name=":2" /> The NCC also connects the activism, campaigns, and projects of each VOW branch to one another.<ref name=":2" />
== Activism ==
=== Campaigns ===
The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace organized several campaigns throughout the [[Cold War]] and [[Vietnam War]]. During the [[Cold War]], the organization collected baby teeth in North America and demonstrated that they contained high amounts of [[strontium-90]].<ref name="VOWwebsite4" /><ref name="VOWwebsite3">{{Cite book|last=Prentice|first=Alison|title=Canadian Women: A History|publisher=[[Harcourt Brace]]|year=1998|location=Toronto}}</ref> Led by member and research physicist [[Ursula Franklin]], the campaign showcased the dangerous effects of [[nuclear weapon]]s and radioactive materials within the [[atmosphere]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Macpherson, Kay|first=and Tabitha Marshall|title=Canadian Voice of Women for Peace {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/voice-of-women|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-21|website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319055212/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/voice-of-women/ |archive-date=March 19, 2015 }}</ref> By presenting the reported increased levels of [[strontium-90]] in baby teeth throughout the continent, the VOW pressured the [[Government of Canada|Canadian federal government]] to promote a [[Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty|Nuclear Test Ban Treaty]].<ref name="VOWwebsite4" /><ref name="VOWwebsite3" /><ref name=":3" /> During the Vietnam War, the organization developed a knitting campaign to help [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]] children living in conflict zones.<ref name=":04" />  [[Ontario]] VOW branch member Lil Greene led over 500 women to knit [[camouflage]]d clothing pieces for Vietnamese children.<ref name=":04" /> This campaign addressed the dangerous living conditions and survival tactics of Vietnamese children during the Vietnam War.<ref name=":04" />
The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace's campaigns have influenced other women to form their own peace organizations in countries such as New Zealand, [[Scotland]], the United Kingdom and the United States.<ref name=":04" /> The VOW's activism has most commonly been associated with the United States [[grassroots]] organization [[Women Strike for Peace]] (WSP).<ref name=":04" /> Although the WSP was a larger organization that focused more on demonstrative activism in comparison to the VOW, the two feminist organizations shared similar goals and collaborated at national and international [[peace conference]]s.<ref name=":04" /> Specifically, several WSP members were inspired to join the VOW's knitting campaign as they also opposed the Vietnam War.<ref name=":04" /> Until the WSP's disbandment in 1975, the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace maintained a close relationship with the United States [[Anti-war movement|anti-war]] feminist organization.<ref name=":04" />
=== United Nations ===
Since its formation in 1960, the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace has worked with the United Nations.<ref name=":3" /> The organization held an International Conference of Women in 1962 where members came up with ways to fight against the threat of [[Nuclear warfare|nuclear war]].<ref name="PeaceMagazine2">{{cite web|title=Peace Magazine Archive – Voice of Women for Peace|url=http://peacemagazine.org/archive/v03n5p26.htm|accessdate=April 12, 2012}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Alton|first=Janis|date=2002|title=We've Come a Long Way: Engendering Peace-building and the New Diplomacy (Voice of Women for Peace)|journal=[[Canadian Women Studies]]|volume= 22| issue =  22|pages=72}}</ref> From this [[peace conference]], the VOW requested that the United Nations create an [[International Year of Peace]].<ref name=":1" /> Throughout the mid to late twentieth century, the VOW attended and participated in several United Nations conferences aimed at peace and [[conflict resolution]].<ref name=":1" /> Most recently, the United Nations 2000 adoption of the [[Security Council Resolution 1325]] on women, peace, and security was successfully approved due to the work of VOW and other international peace groups.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" /> This resolution acknowledged the protection of women and girls in conflict areas and also called for a gendered perspective on peace and security issues.<ref name=":3" />
The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace is a recognized non-governmental organization within the United Nations and is associated with the [[United Nations Department of Global Communications|Department of Public Information]] and the [[United Nations Economic and Social Council|Economic and Social Council]] ([[United Nations Economic and Social Council|ECOSOC]]).<ref name=":15" /> The VOW also currently holds [[consultative status]] within ECOSOC.<ref name=":3" />
=== Current activism ===
The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace's activism currently focuses on issues relating to [[climate change]], [[Fighter aircraft|fighter jets]] and [[sustainability]].<ref name=":15" /> The organization argues against [[Military–industrial complex|military-industrial]] government spending and advocates for the dissolution of [[NATO]].<ref name=":15" />
The VOW is a group representative on the Canadian federal government's Consultative Group on Disarmament and Arms Control and the [[National Action Committee on the Status of Women]].<ref name=":3" />
== See also ==
*[[Anti-nuclear movement in Canada]]
*[[Canada and weapons of mass destruction]]
*[[Nuclear weapons debate]]
*[[Nova Scotia Voice of Women]]
*[[Women Strike for Peace]]
*[[Women's Peace Train]]
== References ==
<references />
== External links ==
* [https://vowpeace.org/ Official website]
{{Anti-nuclear movement}}
[[Category:Anti-nuclear organizations]]
[[Category:Peace organizations based in Canada]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1960]]
[[Category:1960 establishments in Canada]]
[[Category:Feminist organizations in Canada]]