Its aim is to promote research and scholarly activity which bring about an improved quality of life for women and a more informed understanding of the role of women in Canadian society.



Its mandate is to promote research and outreach on issues relating to women.



The Institute has also been the publisher of Atlantis: A Women's Studies Journal since 1981.



The Institute has been designated as the official Canadian focal point of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, a United Nations research organization dealing with women's issues.