Today, the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, joined by the Honourable Margaret Nakashuk, Nunavut’s Minister responsible for the Status of Women, and the Honourable John Main, Nunavut’s Minister of Health, made a historic announcement of up to $17 million to help the victims and survivors of gender-based violence.

“Today’s historic announcement builds on years of federal, provincial and territorial collaboration, working with Indigenous partners, survivors, experts, and frontline organizations. We know that the issue of gender-based violence disproportionally impacts women and girls living in rural and remote communities, and support for survivors is difficult to access. By partnering with the territorial government, we are making sure that these supports are strong, culturally relevant and respond to the needs of Indigenous communities.” 

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

“Nunavut Inuit are the victims of violent crime at a rate of 12 to 13 times higher than women in other jurisdictions of Canada. The National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls showed that this violence is deeply rooted in colonialism, and has created a legacy of violence in homes, relationships, and in institutions. The funds from the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence will assist the Government of Nunavut in understanding and treating the root causes of gender-based violence in our territory, by increasing advocacy and programs for violence prevention efforts. The funds will also enable the Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council to focus on increasing awareness of gender-based violence, including why it is harmful, what community members can do, and how to stand against it.” 

The Honourable Margaret Nakashuk, Minister responsible for the Status of Women in Nunavut 

“The Government of Nunavut recognizes that gender-based violence is not just a singular issue but a deeply rooted social challenge that requires multifaceted solutions. To effectively address gender-based violence, it is imperative we embrace a holistic, multi-level governmental approach, engage Inuit organizations and drive initiatives to support survivors of gender-based violence and their families. With financial support from the Government of Canada, the establishment of a crisis hotline is a vital step in providing immediate support to those in need. Today, we acknowledge the ongoing work and collaborative efforts between the Department of Family Services, the Department of Health and the federal government to provide the support and resources needed create a safer and more equitable society for all Nunavummiut.”

The Honourable John Main, Nunavut’s Minister of Health 

• Budget 2021 provided a significant investment of approximately $601.3 million over five years to address gender-based violence, including $30 million for crisis hotlines to support the urgent needs to Canadians to prevent the escalation of gender-based violence.

• Building on this investment, Budget 2022 committed $539.3 million over five years to support provinces and territories in their efforts to implement the recently launched National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.   

• Organizations operating crisis hotlines in Nunavut report that the volume of calls increased during the pandemic, as victims of violence and those seeking related services experienced perceived and real barriers to safely accessing services.

• In 2019, rates of police-reported intimate partner violence showed that women in Nunavut were almost 7 times more likely to experience intimate partner violence than men, the largest difference reported among Canada’s provinces and territories.

• Children and youth, specifically girls, were more likely to be victims of family violence in the territories than any other province, with Nunavut reporting the highest rates of family violence against children and youth in 2019.

Associated links

• Backgrounder – Bilateral Agreements Supporting the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence
• Agreements on the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence
• Supporting Crisis Hotlines Across Canada

Nanki Singh
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
819-665-2632
Nanki.Singh@fegc-wage.gc.ca

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

Government of Nunavut

Danarae Sommerville
A/ Manager of Communications
Department of Health
867-975-5949
DSommerville1@gov.nu.ca

Tony Canny
Communications Specialist
Department of Family Services
867-975-5207
Acanny@gov.nu.ca

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