Daughters of the Vote
A unique, immersive learning experience for young women and gender-diverse youth
Daughters of the Vote is an ambitious initiative by Equal Voice that began in 2017 to mark the 100th anniversary of some women getting the right to vote in Canada, and the still incomplete journey of women’s full participation in politics today.
338 delegates, representing every federal riding in Canada, were selected through an open call for applications to participate in a dynamic political leadership summit in Ottawa. We were fortunate to replicate the event in 2019 and in March 2021.
The program objective is to expose participants to Canada’s political institutions and those women and men serving in them – so that they are equipped and inspired to participate in the formal political sphere and take action in their local communities in the years and decades to come.
The program is only possible thanks to support from the Department for Women and Gender Equality, and our corporate and philanthropic partners.
2023: We are currently in discussions with our funder and supporters. Call for Applications TBD Spring 2022. Please stay connected for future news regarding the next edition!
By taking part in the DOV program, you will…
Learn
Delegates are provided the opportunity to learn more about Canada’s political institutions and processes.
Delegates will take part in workshops, panels, trainings, and other key activities to gain a practical understanding of, and to develop key skills for working and engaging in, politics.
Delegates will learn about the challenges and barriers women, particularly those belonging to diverse communities, face in politics, and how to foster systemic change to make political institutions more accessible to women, in all of their diversity.
Network
Delegates will have the opportunity to hear from, and meet with, a variety of elected officials, parliamentarians, and party representatives, from all political parties and from different levels of government.
Delegates will engage with one another, as well as past delegates of the program, and develop key relationships with their peers and other like-minded young women and gender-diverse people.
Experience
Delegates will gain valuable hands-on experience engaging with elected officials from all political parties, the media, and other organizations leading the way towards increased women’s representation in politics.
*Throughout this website and other content, we use the word “women and/or woman” to mean people who self-identify as women, and to include ALL women representing the diversity of Canada including (but not limited to) diversity of age, race, religion, sexual orientation, ability, and socio-economic background.