OTTAWA – The Honourable Helena Guergis, Minister of State (Status of Women), in recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, called for an end to violence against women.
"This international day is an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the countless women and girls worldwide for whom violence and the threat of violence are a daily reality," said Minister of State Guergis. "Violence against women affects us all. It destroys families and communities and weakens the very fabric of our society. This violence knows no bounds – social, economic, racial or geographic. Too often we see it in our communities and even in our own families."
November 25 commemorates the 1960 murders of the Mirabal sisters in the Dominican Republic. Worldwide it also marks the beginning of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, including Canada's National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women on December 6.
"Supporting the human rights of women and girls is a priority for the Canadian International Development Agency," said the Minister of International Cooperation, Bev Oda. "Violence against women is not only a violation of their rights, it also prevents their full participation in the economic, social and political life of their countries."
On November 20, 2008, on behalf of the Government of Canada, Minister of State Guergis signed on to the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Say NO to Violence against Women campaign in support of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence.
The Government of Canada has already taken significant action to better protect Canadians from those who would commit serious crimes, and to strengthen the capacity of the criminal justice system. The Government put an end to the use of conditional sentences (including house arrest) for serious offences such as violent or sexual crimes.
The Government is also partnering with the Native Women's Association of Canada on the five year (2005–2010) Sisters in Spirit initiative, which focuses on improving the situation of Aboriginal women and on addressing the violence against them, in particular, the high rates of missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada.
Through the Women's Program of Status of Women Canada, the Government of Canada supports projects aimed at combating violence against women and girls. These include a project in Victoria to help sex trade workers and sexually exploited youth escape violence, addictions and poverty; a project in Edmonton to offer family violence support services to Aboriginal and immigrant women; a national project based in Toronto to provide online counselling services for abused women; a project in the Montreal area to develop and implement an intervention program for daughters below age 12 who have been sexually assaulted and their mothers; and an initiative in New Brunswick to help women heal from the devastating effects of sexual assault and dating violence.
Status of Women Canada is a federal government agency working to promote the full participation of women in the economic, social and democratic life of Canada.
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For more information, please contact:
Philippe Mailhot
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of State (Status of Women)
819-956-4000
Nanci-Jean Waugh
Director General, Communications and Strategic Planning
Status of Women Canada
613-995-7839
