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NAC NEEDS STRONG REGIONS TO GROW
(This article is from the June 1-15/2000 issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $25/year, or $12 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $25 US per year; other overseas readers - $25 US or $35 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, Canada, V5L 3J1.)
AS IT MEETS in Ottawa May 26-28, the National Action Committee on the Status of Women faces a number of challenges, a major one being the development of its activity and organization in the regions. For a number of reasons, primarily the sharp cut in funding, the regional structure of NAC is not functioning effectively.
Understandably, with NAC's very existence at risk, the emphasis has been on keeping the central office afloat. The women's movement in Canada has been able to do that. The national executive, the staff, and other activists across the country deserve an immense amount of appreciation for the work and dedication they have put into keeping NAC vital and active. Despite the best efforts of the right wing forces, NAC is still fighting for women.
The main emphasis of NAC must remain its campaigns for women's rights, however, at this point, NAC also needs to emphasize the regions, where most of us (with the possible exceptions of national organizations) do our work. It is within the regions that most women interact with NAC, but currently, the effectiveness of NAC's regional work is very uneven across the country.
To be effective, all regional organizations should be in close contact with member groups and know the local issues that affect women directly. Regional organizations must know the groups which should join NAC, and should be able to co-ordinate national campaigns on a local level, and thus build NAC.
British Columbia probably has one of the better functioning regional organizations. This has resulted in a number of women from BC being elected to the national executive. Also the BC executive members have helped keep the regional organization active and well informed.
However, even BC has problems in building the membership. Other regions are facing even greater difficulties. All across Canada, from regions like the Atlantic to the North to BC, the challenge is ensuring that the needs of women in rural areas and the diversity of cultural, geographic and economic concerns in each province and territory are fully recognized and addressed.
A serious commitment from NAC to the region is necessary and vital. It is not enough for a region to have a representative on the executive. Regional representatives must be in regular contact with member organizations, and must be publicly visible to attract more member groups. Their name and contact information should be known to local trade unions, provincial status of women offices, planned parenthood offices, women's shelters and other visible provincial women's organizations, so that women know how to access their NAC representative and how to become involved in the organization.
Representatives need both a strong regional collective to work alongside, and the commitment of NAC to stress regional work. The regions must effectively use and ensure the maintenance of up-to-date membership and donor lists, in order to effectively co-ordinate our political and fundraising work.
If the demands of women - against poverty and violence, for equality and justice - are going to be met, NAC must grow everywhere. For that to happen, grassroots women have to see, hear and know NAC. But they must also feel that NAC sees, hears, and knows them, and their issues. This interaction can only effectively happen on a regional basis.
(Redfem Report is a column by the Central Women's Commission of the Communist Party of Canada, an affiliate of NAC.)
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