Conception Bay South, Newfoundland and Labrador - Women and Gender Equality Canada
Living a life free from violence is a fundamental human right. Unfortunately, gender-based violence (GBV) continues to be a significant barrier to achieving gender equality in Canada. It is one of the most pervasive, deadly, and deeply rooted human rights violations of our time that affects people of all backgrounds, genders, and ages.
Today, Lisa Hepfner, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, and the Honourable Pam Parsons, Minister Responsible for Women and Gender Equality in Newfoundland and Labrador, announced a historic bilateral agreement. The federal government will be investing nearly $13.6 million over four years to support the implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence in Newfoundland and Labrador.
This comprehensive plan reflects our shared commitment to preventing gender-based violence, while empowering communities through community-led solutions. The Plan is focused on three priority areas: increasing prevention efforts; reaching underserved and at-risk populations; and stabilizing the gender-based violence sector.
Launched in November 2022 by Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers responsible for the Status of Women, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence is a 10-year plan that sets a framework to have a Canada free of gender-based violence - a Canada that supports victims, survivors, and their families from coast to coast to coast. The National Action Plan is informed by over 1,000 recommendations from Indigenous partners, victims and survivors, frontline organizations, and experts.
This funding will support the work that Newfoundland and Labrador is doing in addressing and preventing gender-based violence, while developing and implementing culturally appropriate supports and services for local communities. It will create and enhance programs and supports for survivors of gender-based violence in communities throughout the province, including individuals who may be underserved or who are most at-risk of experiencing gender-based violence, such as Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals and women living in rural and remote communities.
This announcement is among a series of bilateral agreements that have been signed between the federal government and provinces and territories and are now all announced. It is in addition to the funding announced to Newfoundland and Labrador in August to support crisis hotlines.
Coordinated and collaborative actions from federal, provincial, and territorial governments are key in effectively preventing and addressing gender-based violence. Provincial and territorial governments will continue working together in partnership with survivors, Indigenous partners, civil society, front-line service providers, municipalities, the private sector and researchers to implement the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence within their jurisdictions in a way that responds to the evolving needs and emerging issues of survivors and victims of GBV.
