The Canadian National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls highlighted the underlying systemic causes Monday of ongoing violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.
According to a report, the COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for victims seeking help and the frontline organizations that support them.
“Gender-based violence is a human rights violation still too deeply rooted in our society,” Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, said. “The projects announced today will address the root causes of violence, while giving better support to those who survived it – charting a path toward building safer communities. Based on relevant data and culturally informed practices, these organizations and initiatives will build a better future for everyone living in Canada.”
Hajdu was joined by Marcus Powlowski, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay — Rainy River, to announce up to $1.55 million, on behalf of the Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth.
“The funding announced today will help a number of organizations enhance their capacity to provide gender-based violence prevention programming aimed at addressing the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people,” Powlowski said.
This funding will allow the following organizations to further address gender-based violence in their communities:
- Aboriginal Peoples Alliance Northern Ontario
- Anishnabe Kateri Association
- Nishnawbe Aski Nation
- Ontario Native Women’s Association
Increasing the capacity of Indigenous women’s and 2SLGBTQQIA+ organizations will enable organizations to address the root causes of gender-based violence and ensure that Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, and their communities, can prosper now, and in the future.
In November 2022, the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers responsible for the Status of Women launched the 10-year National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. This was supposedly a strategic framework for addressing gender-based violence.
The National Action Plan includes five pillars: Support for victims, survivors and their families; Prevention; Responsive justice system; Implementing Indigenous-led approaches; and Social infrastructure and enabling environment.
