MP Brendan Hanley announces funding for the Yukon Aboriginal Women's Council 

News release

March 9, 2023 – Whitehorse, Yukon — Women and Gender Equality Canada

The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls highlighted the underlying systemic causes of ongoing violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. The COVID-19 pandemic also created unprecedented challenges for victims and survivors seeking help and the frontline organizations that support them.

Today, Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for Yukon, on behalf of the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, announced up to $402,157 for the Yukon Aboriginal Women’s Council.

This funding will allow the Yukon Aboriginal Women's Council to increase its ability to prevent and address gender-based violence (GBV) against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, with a focus on 2SLGBTQQIA+ Indigenous people in the Yukon and northern British Columbia.

Increasing the capacity of Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQQIA+ organizations will enable organizations to address the root causes of GBV and ensure that Indigenous women and their communities can prosper now, and in the future.

This announcement builds on the endorsement of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers responsible for the Status of Women in November 2022. 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. 

Quotes

“The rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people are unacceptable. Frontline organizations, advocates, and volunteers are working hard for systemic change, and supporting their efforts is critical. The funding announced today will help the Yukon Aboriginal Women’s Council build greater capacity to provide GBV prevention programming, aimed at addressing the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.”

Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for the Yukon 

Quick facts

  • This funding is part of the approximately $601.3 million that the Government of Canada committed through Budget 2021 to increase efforts to end gender-based violence.

  • This announcement builds on previous WAGE funding of over $13 million to more than 100 commemoration projects to help honour the lives and legacies of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.

  • Budget 2022 committed $539.3 million over 5 years to support the provinces and territories in their efforts to implement the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence.  

  • This funding is a key contribution under the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, particularly Pillar 4 which supports Indigenous-led approaches. Further, this funding also represents a key initiative of the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People (Federal Pathway). 

  • The Federal Pathway is the Government of Canada’s contribution to the 2021 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan: Ending Violence Against Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People. It outlines the Government of Canada’s efforts, now and in the future, to end gender-based violence and systemic racism responsible for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.

  • The Government of Canada has committed approximately $300 million in emergency COVID-19 funding to support individuals experiencing gender-based violence. Since April 2020, the Government of Canada has invested over $259 million of emergency COVID-19 funding in 1,400 women’s shelters, sexual assault centers, and other organizations, including 138 organizations that serve Indigenous individuals.

Associated links

Contacts

Johise Namwira
Press Secretary and Issues Manager
Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
873-353-0985
Johise.Namwira@fegc-wage.gc.ca

Media Relations
Women and Gender Equality Canada
819-420-6530
FEGC.Media.WAGE@fegc-wage.gc.ca

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