Fédération des femmes du Québec
Encyclopedia
The Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ) is a feminist organization binding individuals and groups in a common goal to "promote and defend the interests and the rights of women and to fight against all forms of violence, discrimination, marginalization and exclusion towards women" in Quebec
, Canada
.
, a human rights
activist and leading feminist who contributed greatly to the achievement of women suffrage in Quebec. From the beginning, the FFQ organized symposiums, conferences, information campaigns, prepared memoirs and spoke for the interests of women in all tribunes, especially parliamentary and government consultations.
Between 1992 and 2002, associative membership rose from 60 to 160 organizations and individual membership from 100 to 860.
in Quebec
, Canada
, and whose headquarters are in Montreal
. It relies on the contributions of its members, donation and subsidies for the financing of its operations. Its decisions are taken democratically through the general assembly of all its members and a 19-member administration council oversees the conduct of the adopted policies.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
History
The FFQ was founded in 1966 at the initiative of Thérèse CasgrainThérèse Casgrain
Marie Thérèse Forget Casgrain, was a feminist, reformer, politician and senator in Quebec, Canada.Thérèse Casgrain was raised in a wealthy family, the daughter of Lady Blanche MacDonald and Sir Rodolphe Forget...
, a human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
activist and leading feminist who contributed greatly to the achievement of women suffrage in Quebec. From the beginning, the FFQ organized symposiums, conferences, information campaigns, prepared memoirs and spoke for the interests of women in all tribunes, especially parliamentary and government consultations.
Between 1992 and 2002, associative membership rose from 60 to 160 organizations and individual membership from 100 to 860.
Principles and mission
The Déclaration de principes adopted by members during the 2003 annual congress state that the FFQ is:- a lieu of militantism and action, analysis and reflexion, debate, training and concertation open to all women, without distinction of origin, sexual orientation, religion etc. (in accord with article 10 of Quebec's Charter of Human Rights and FreedomsQuebec Charter of Human Rights and FreedomsThe Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms is a statutory bill of rights and human rights code passed by the National Assembly of Quebec on June 27, 1975...
). - participating to the current within the movement of women that fights against the systems of oppression or domination that are patriarchy, capitalism, racism, imperialism which marginalize and exploits women at the social, economic, cultural, political and religious level, in Quebec and abroad.
Organization and structure
Legally, the FFQ is charitable organization registered as a corporationCorporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and whose headquarters are in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. It relies on the contributions of its members, donation and subsidies for the financing of its operations. Its decisions are taken democratically through the general assembly of all its members and a 19-member administration council oversees the conduct of the adopted policies.
Activities
Among the activities of the FFQ which have been most successful are the 1995 Bread and Roses March and the 2000 World March of Women.Presidents
- Réjane Laberge-Colas (1966-1967)
- Rita Racette-Cadieux (1967-1969)
- Marie-Paul Marcil Dandois (1969-1970)
- Yvette Boucher-Rousseau (1970-1973)
- Ghislaine Patry-Buisson (1973-1977)
- Sheila FinestoneSheila FinestoneSheila Finestone, PC was a Canadian Member of Parliament and Senator.-Early life:Born in Montreal, Quebec, the daughter of Minnie Cummings Abbey and Monroe Abbey, her father was a president of the Canadian Jewish Congress. Finestone received a Bachelor of Science degree from McGill University in...
(1977-1980) - Gabrielle Hotte (1980-1981)
- Huguette Lapointe-Roy (1981-1983)
- Denyse Bélanger-Rochon (1983-1985)
- Ginette Drouin-Busque (1985-1989)
- Constance Middleton-Hope (1989)
- Denise Crête (1990-1991) (interim)
- Germaine Vaillancourt (1991-1992)
- Céline Signori (1992-1994)
- Françoise DavidFrançoise DavidFrançoise David, CQ is the spokesperson, with Amir Khadir, of Québec solidaire - a left-wing, feminist and sovereignist political party in the province of Quebec, Canada. Quebec Solidaire was born from the merger of Option Citoyenne with l'Union des Forces Progressistes...
(1994-2001) - Vivian BarbotVivian BarbotVivian Barbot is a teacher, activist, and politician. She is a former President of the Fédération des femmes du Québec, a former Member of Parliament and currently serves as interim president of the Bloc Québécois....
(2001-2003) - Michèle Asselin (2003-2009)
- Alexa Conradi (2009-now)
Prix Idola Saint-Jean
Since 1991, the FFQ awards the Prix Idola Saint-Jean to a person or a group that made an exceptional contribution to the betterment of the condition of women in Quebec and the promotion of feminism, in conformity with the principles, mission and orientation of the federation.External links
- Fédération des femmes du Québec (in French)