Government of Canada funds Fredericton community organizations to help address gender-based violence

From: Women and Gender Equality Canada

News release

August 25, 2023 – Fredericton, NB — Women and Gender Equality Canada

Gender-based violence costs women and gender-diverse people their lives. Those most at risk or who are underserved when experiencing gender-based violence are women living in rural and remote areas, Indigenous women, Black women, women with disabilities, racialized women, and gender non-binary and 2SLGBTQI+ people. Understanding and addressing gender-based violence against these groups is a crucial step towards achieving gender equality in Canada.

Today, the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, and Jenica Atwin, Member of Parliament for Fredericton, announced $908,384 for two organizations in Fredericton, New Brunswick. These organizations and their projects are as follows:

  • Under One Sky Friendship Centre will receive $487,384 for their project Supporting Gender based Violence Through Capacity Building and Program Development, which will enable them 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. 
  • Partners for Youth will receive $421,000 for their project Youth Healthy Relationships in New Brunswick Indigenous Communities, which will empower and engage Indigenous youth to create an effective and culturally sensitive healthy teen relationships program in their communities – a promising practice to address gender-based violence.

These projects will continue the work required to address the root causes of gender-based violence and ensure that women and gender-diverse people can prosper now and in the future.

Today’s announcement builds on the historic launch 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; a responsive justice system; implementing Indigenous-led approaches; and social infrastructure and an enabling environment. The National Action plan is complementary to and aligned with the 2021 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan and the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People.

Quotes

“Gender-based violence is a human rights violation still too deeply rooted in our society. The projects announced today are at the heart of systemic change and supporting their life-saving work remains a top priority for the Government of Canada. These initiatives will chart a path towards safer communities across New Brunswick.”

The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth

"Under One Sky Friendship Centre and Partners for Youth are driving change by addressing the root causes of gender-based violence. These initiatives are pivotal in our collective journey towards gender equality, ensuring the prosperity and safety of all in Fredericton and beyond."

Jenica Atwin, Member of Parliament for Fredericton

Quick facts

  • Funding to Under One Sky Friendship Centre 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 includes $55 million to increase the capacity of Indigenous women’s and 2SLGBTQI+ organizations, helping them address the root causes of violence and deliver prevention programming in their communities.

  • Funding to Partners for Youth is part of the $105 million over five years that the Government of Canada provided through Budget 2021 for Women and Gender Equality Canada to enhance its Gender-Based Violence Program. Of this amount, approximately $56 million is being committed to supporting projects that strengthen the gender-based violence sector through promising practices and knowledge building. 

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

  • Although roughly 5% of the female population in Canada identified as Indigenous, 21% of all gender-related homicides between 2011 and 2021 involved Indigenous women and girls.

  • Between 2009 and 2021, New Brunswick has been reported to have the largest increase of intimate partner violence against women and girls among the provinces, with a 39% rise.

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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