Students Coalition Against War

The Students Coalition Against War is a Canadian organization with members in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Edmonton, Alberta, Victoria, British Columbia, Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec. The Students Coalition Against War - SCAW - is a grassroots social movement dedicated to creating and fostering progressive social change. SCAW focuses on public education, non-violent activism, organizing, advocacy and above all, reform. We aim to address and propose solutions – in a definitive and comprehensive manner – to the major social, economic and political issues, which induce, promote and sustain contemporary war, in all its forms worldwide.

Such forms of modern warfare include, but are in no way limited to: both inter/intra state war, violations of fundamental human rights as defined by the universal declaration of human rights, the various forms of non-democratic economic reform which invariably undermine social well being, and the numerous systems of domination, discrimination, and oppression such as racism, individualism, and imperialism. The various types of activities and activism employed by SCAW include: research and public education, media activism, civil disobedience, direct action, and other traditional as well as new and innovative forms of activism, advocacy, campaigning and protest.

Although initiated as a student organization, SCAW is a free and open social movement; it is fully democratic, decentralized and non-hierarchical in its structure and decision-making. One of the central aspects of SCAW is to promote the unification of both goals and tactics, thereby using methods that reflect the values they seek to see applied on a global scale.

SCAW seeks to:

1. Fund and publish research on contemporary issues surrounding war aimed at introducing students and members of the public to these issues, and encouraging them to find out more.
2. Host information events to the same end.
3. Attract new people to getting involved in advocacy and activism in their communities.
4. Broaden and strengthen connections between civil society groups operating in our communities with a mind to promote co-operation and mutual support.
5. Promote inclusion and visibility of women and minorities at peace events in our communities.
6. Effect real change in the policy of governments complicit in war around the world.