Canadian government offers $1.1 million in funding to two BC-based Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations

By Daniel Itai

On Friday Dec 2, Patrick Weiler, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, on behalf of Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth announced a $1.1 million funding for Women’s Studies Online and the Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of British Columbia.

The North Vancouver and West Vancouver based organizations’ work had been hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic creating unprecedented challenges for victims seeking help.

“Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people are subjected to a level of violence that is shocking to all Canadians. Frontline organizations like Women’s Studies Online and the Native Courtworker and Counselling Association are at the heart of systemic change to address this terrible reality, and supporting their life-saving work is a priority for our government.

As we mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, we are proud to announce this funding to help these and other organizations bolster the capacity to provide Gender-Based Violence prevention programming aimed at addressing the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people. Speak out on gender-based violence and renew our commitment to ending violence against women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals,” said Weiler.

According to the government, increasing the capacity of Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations will enable organizations to address the root causes of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and ensure that Indigenous women and their communities can prosper now, and in the future adding that Friday’s 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 early November.

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.

Since April 2020 government has invested over $250 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.