Deepa Mattoo, 2022 YWCA Toronto Woman of Distinction for Advocacy & Women’s Rights, Lawyer and Executive Director of Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic
What does ‘champion the rights of women and girls’ mean to you?
To champion the rights of women and girls is to be a conduit for building intentional spaces and capacities for the voices of women and girls and the needs of marginalized communities, recognizing historical and ongoing trauma, and honouring the interconnectedness of survivors, advocates and communities.
You are a recognized leader in your field. Did you experience any challenges as you advanced in your career? How did you overcome them?
When I reflect on the challenges in my career, I can appreciate that they have provided me with an alternative perspective, deepened my understanding, and enriched my experiences. At various stages of my life, I have experienced sexism, racism, and discrimination as a foreign-trained professional, working in a sector that is underfunded, under-valued, and precarious –and that requires constant perseverance. Fortunately, almost every challenge I have faced was met with love and support from my community of family, friends and colleagues who believed in me. My experiences have helped me appreciate the privilege of access to education, resources, and community. My struggles have also inspired me to pay it forward and advocate against the same systemic oppressions that have impacted me.
Why is it important to have women in leadership positions?
Women make up nearly 50 per cent of the world’s population but do not have access to 50 per cent of the world’s resources or leadership positions. When women become leaders, they provide a different set of skills, perspectives, and importantly, structural and cultural differences. These differences drive effective solutions that are often focused on improving the lives of families and the conditions of society.
What can be done to foster and support women’s leadership?
To support women’s leadership, it is not enough to just get women into leadership roles. We need to ensure women have supports that will allow them to thrive in leadership positions. Management must holistically support, encourage and prioritize their female workforce to ensure the progress women have made in the workplace is not reversed. This means working from a framework of trust and flexibility, and innovation that recognizes that women are not just workers, they are the nurturers of the next generation and simultaneously the caregivers of the generation before them.
What do you envision for the future in your sector?
The impacts of COVID-19 have changed the not-for-profit and gender-based violence sectors forever, bringing both challenges and opportunities. The sector pivoted to provide remote and virtual services, making them available to survivors beyond the usual reach of the service. The sector also took the lead in supporting racialized communities that were already facing inequities such as lack of affordable housing, food insecurity, the technology divide, and job loss. Moving forward, the sector needs to focus on the communities and survivors that are left out of receiving services in these new remote environments. This includes but is not limited to women survivors with precarious immigration status and those who do not speak English. The sector will also have to center the collective trauma of COVID-19 and support the mental health of front-line workers and the communities we serve. Additionally, we must collaborate and advocate for core funding that will support the long-term sustainability and growth of the sector.
If you could tell young girls and gender diverse youth anything, what would it be?
I would encourage young girls and gender diverse people to work in our sector – you will find it enriching and our sector needs diverse young voices. I would also say that personal experiences are valuable and to center your work around the experiences of the communities you serve. Quoting Angela Davis “Whenever you conceptualize social justice struggles, you will always defeat your own purposes if you cannot imagine the people around whom you are struggling as equal partners.”
As we amplify your remarkable accomplishments, what do you want our audience to remember most?
The right to live a life free from violence is a basic human right. Gender-based violence is a pandemic and it should be a focus of all policy and social reforms. It is also important to remember that immigrant and racialized women need supports that are culturally and linguistically sensitive. We need to ensure we address gender-based violence in all of its forms and understand how it impacts communities differently. Understanding historical oppression and the impacts of trauma, as well as the need for empathy, should be at the center of awareness education and reform. We all have a role to play in every sector to ensure our workplaces, homes and communities feel safe for survivors seeking support.