About IWSO

Mission

Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO) exists to empower women - women of colour, refugee women, black women – and their families in the City of Ottawa and the surrounding area to achieve their full potential, become productive members of society and participate in the elimination of all forms of abuse against women.

Mandate

• To empower immigrant and visible minority women in the City of Ottawa to participate in the elimination of all forms of abuse against women.
• To provide a culturally responsive crisis counselling service and a language interpretation service which will facilitate an abused woman’s accessibility to community and mainstream services.
• To provide other services and/or programs which will assist immigrant women in their journey to attain their full potential.

Structure

IWSO is a non-profit organization operating in the City of Ottawa; its charitable registration number is 131976581RR0001.

A 12 member Board of Directors is elected by IWSO members at an Annual General Meeting provides policy and program leadership.

Day to day operation is managed by an Executive Director with the support of a team of staff and counsellors.