Government of Canada announces investment in women's organizations and support for survivors of gender-based violence in New Brunswick

MONCTON, NB, April 24, 2019 /CNW/ - Women's organizations provide vital services in our communities, supporting women and girls to be financially secure, free from violence, and able to fully participate in all aspects of our economy and society. Yet for far too long they have been chronically underfunded, underestimated and undermined. The Government of Canada recognizes that women's organizations are the lifeblood of the women's movement, and that maintaining and growing their ability to do this important work is the most effective way to advance gender equality.

That's why today, the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality, announced that the Government of Canada is investing in six organizations in New Brunswick to grow their capacity or to support survivors of gender-based violence (please see the Backgrounder for more information and testimonials). Over $2.1 million will be provided through the Capacity-building Fund and up to $1.7 million through the Gender-based Violence Program to the following organizations:

• Centre for Research on Youth at Risk (St. Thomas University);
• Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Inc.;
• Indigenous Women's Association of the Maliseet and Mi'kmaq Territories Inc.;
• Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick;
• Réseau des services pour victimes de violence du Nouveau-Brunswick; and
• Young Women's Christian Association of Moncton.

Funding for these projects stems from historic Budget 2018 investments in the Capacity-building Fund to support a sustainable women's movement and the Gender-based Violence Program to address gaps in support for underserved groups in Canada who experience gender-based violence.

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"With our historic investments, we recognize the women and women's organizations breaking through barriers and express our gratitude to those who have been doing this work for decades on little more than a shoestring budget. The women's movement across Canada has been asking for a reliable, predictable and accessible source of funds to ensure the sustainability of their work; our government listened. With stable and flexible funding, we are helping organizations in New Brunswick grow and endure, because we know that investing in women's organizations is the most effective way to advance gender equality. By supporting a movement that has achieved amazing results, we are growing the middle class, strengthening families and communities, and creating lasting change that benefits everyone."

The Honourable Maryam Monsef, P.C., M.P.
Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality

Quick Facts

• Budget 2018 announced $100 million over five years to support a viable and sustainable women's movement across Canada. Adding to this historic investment, Budget 2019 proposes to invest a further $160 million over five years, starting in 2019–20, in the Department for Women and Gender Equality's Women's Program. This means that by 2023–24, the Women's Program, which supports eligible organizations to carry out projects to advance equality by addressing systemic barriers, will total $100 million annually.
• This funding will enable women's organizations and Indigenous organizations serving women to tackle systemic barriers impeding women's progress, while recognizing and addressing the diverse experiences of gender and inequality across the country.
• To date, the Government of Canada has invested over $200 million to prevent gender-based violence, support survivors and their families, and create more responsive legal and justice systems.
• Some populations are more likely to experience violence and may face unique barriers and challenges that put them at particular risk. According to the 2014 General Social Survey on Victimization, women are at a 20% higher risk of violent victimization than men when all other risk factors are taken into account. Indigenous women are more likely to experience violence and reported having been the victim of a violent crime at a rate 2.7 higher than that reported by non-Indigenous women (219 incidents per 1,000 population versus 81 incidents per 1,000).
• Gender-based violence can have lifelong impacts on an individual's physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health. Additionally, the effects can be serious and costly. Annually, the economic impact of intimate partner violence and sexual assault is estimated to be over $12 billion.
• Women also continue to be disproportionately affected by economic insecurity. In 2018, women in Canada earned just 88 cents for every dollar earned by men, based on median earnings of full-time workers. The gender pay gap is worse when considering Indigenous women, who earned only 82 cents for every dollar earned by men (Indigenous and non-Indigenous men). Women are also much more likely to work on a part-time basis, making up 75% of all part-time workers aged 25-54, with 27% of women reporting childcare responsibilities as their reason for working part-time.
• Canada will host the Women Deliver 2019 Conference from June 3 to 6, 2019, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Held every three years, it is the world's largest gathering on gender equality and the health, rights and well-being of women and girls.
• The conference is part of a global movement to promote gender equality worldwide that gives voice to a broad spectrum of people, including Indigenous peoples, youth and those living in conflict and crisis settings. It will bring together more than 6,000 individuals—world leaders, influencers, advocates, academics, activists, youth and journalists—from more than 160 countries, with an additional 100,000 people joining virtually.

Related Product

Backgrounder

Department for Women and Gender Equality – Women's Program 

One of the ways the Department for Women and Gender Equality advances gender equality in Canada is by providing funding to eligible organizations through the Women's Program. Projects are selected via calls for proposals on specific themes, as well as through a continuous intake process that allows the Women's Program to address emerging issues as they arise.

The Women's Program funds projects that address systemic barriers to women's equality in three priority areas: ending violence against women and girls; improving the economic security and prosperity of women and girls; and encouraging women and girls in leadership roles.

Capacity-building Call for Proposals

In October 2018, Minister Monsef announced a Call for Proposals under the Capacity-building Fund of the Women's Program. Projects at the local, provincial, and national level were eligible for different amounts of funding, based on their specific internal needs and reach.

On March 8, 2019, International Women's Day, Minister Monsef announced that over 250 women's organizations across the country would receive funding from the Capacity-building Fund.

The objective is to fund proposals that will increase the capacity of eligible women's organizations and Indigenous organizations serving women, whose initiatives contribute to a viable women's movement in Canada that advances gender equality. Funding will increase the ability of organizations to grow, meet the increasing demands for their services, and continue to work collectively to address gender equality issues. The fund stems from the Budget 2018 announcement of $100 million over five years to help support a viable and sustainable women's movement across Canada.

Today's announcement highlighted four projects receiving funding from the Capacity Building Fund:

Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Inc.

Project title: Cultivating our Roots: Increasing Capacity to Achieve Gender Equality
Funding amount: $193,120

In order to respond to the evolving and increasing demands on the organization, the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre will work to increase its membership and implement best practices to create safe, inclusive spaces, especially for survivors of all genders, sexual identities, Indigenous women, people of colour, immigrant women, and sex workers.

As a feminist collective the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Inc. has been providing support to survivors of sexual violence for more than 40 years. It delivers services for sexual assault awareness, counselling, and crisis support to those affected by sexual violence, built on a strong and skilled membership. 

"As a community-based organization, our main focus is to improve access to trauma-informed and specialized sexual violence services. With this financial support from the Government of Canada, we can take critical steps to grow and strengthen our services so we can reach more women."

Lorraine Whalley, Executive Director
Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Inc.

Indigenous Women's Association of the Maliseet and Mi'kmaq Territories Inc.

Project title: Building Capacity and Strategic Planning
Funding amount: $500,000

The Indigenous Women's Association of the Maliseet and Mi'kmaq Territories Inc. (IWAMMT) seeks to stabilize and grow their organization to support the wellbeing and prosperity of Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and gender diverse people in New Brunswick. This funding will help them reach these goals by building capacity and taking part in strategic planning.

IWAMMT is a not-for profit organization that represents Indigenous women from two Nations in the territories commonly known as New Brunswick. IWAMMT's mission is to provide healing and capacity building to Indigenous women in order to promote and recognize their traditional leadership role.

"Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse people face a number of intersecting challenges to their full, equal, and safe participation in society. We are grateful for this funding from the Government of Canada to help our organization grow and reach more people in New Brunswick."

Gail Paul, President
Indigenous Women's Association of the Maliseet and Mi'kmaq Territories Inc.

Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick

Project title: Charting our Course as a Leader in Gender Equality
Funding amount: $750,000

The Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick (RFNB) seeks to strengthen their ability to actively contribute to gender equality in all spheres of activity, provincially and nationally. This will be accomplished by improving its approach to organizational needs like training, collaboration, advocacy and community engagement.

The RFNB is a non-profit, non-partisan group of individual members and organizations whose mission is to promote the interests of New Brunswick Francophone women in all their diversity, to advocate for political action, and to defend and promote women's rights, based on a feminist analysis, while ensuring their civic participation.

"We thank the federal government for this important funding that will support gender equality, especially for Francophone women living in minority situations in New Brunswick. This project will allow us to contribute to the advancement of gender equality in all areas of activity in the province and in Canada."

Lyne Chantal Boudreau, President
Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick (RFNB)

Réseau des services aux victimes de violence du Nouveau-Brunswick

Project title: Strengthening Services for Access to Victims of Violence in NB 
Funding amount: $544,700

The Réseau des services pour victimes de violence du Nouveau-Brunswick (RSVVNB) is working to improve their ability to advocate for, raise awareness about and ensure the long-term survival of the organization, with the goal of defending the rights of women survivors of gender-based violence.

Created in 2006 and incorporated in 2018, the RSVVNB is a not-for-profit organization that represents a network of 12 member organizations from Francophone and bilingual communities in New Brunswick. Its mission is to raise awareness about violence against women and children; defend and advocate for their rights; and advocate for quality, accessible services for victims of violence in rural areas.

"As an organization dedicated to supporting women victims of violence in New Brunswick, we are extremely grateful to the Government of Canada for this major contribution that will help us develop and protect the rights of victims of violence."

Angèle Losier, President
Réseau des services aux victimes de violence du Nouveau-Brunswick

Young Women's Christian Association of Moncton

Project title: Strategic Planning & Capacity Building for Sustainability of the YW Jean E.S. Irving Centre for Women and Children
Funding amount: $187,000

The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of Moncton is seeking to strengthen and sustain their services and its reach of over 3,000 women, children and their families. With this investment, they will partner with other community experts outside the Greater Moncton area, so that the organization can address gaps to vital women's services and programs in New Brunswick.

YWCA Moncton is a community-based women's resource center committed to social justice with a focus on gender equity, providing women's services and gender equity work at local and regional levels. YWCA Moncton is part of our country's oldest and largest women's multi-service organization, YWCA Canada, and exists in solidarity with the global YWCA movement, which serves 25 million women and girls throughout 125 countries while driving the international gender-based human rights agenda.

"YWCA Moncton exists to support and empower women – and their families – through advocacy and integrated services that foster independence, wellness, and equity for all. With this vital support from the federal government, we can help make sure that no woman or girl in the Greater Moncton Area falls through the cracks."

Michèle Nadeau, Executive Director
YWCA Moncton

Department for Women and Gender Equality's Gender-Based Violence Program

Following the June 2017 announcement of It' s Time: Canada' s Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence, the Department for Women and Gender Equality (formerly Status of Women Canada) launched the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Program in January 2018.

The GBV Program complements the department's Women' s Program, and helps organizations working in the GBV sector to develop and implement promising practices to address gaps in supports for survivors and their families.

While violence affects people of all genders, ages, cultures, ethnicities, geographic locations, and socio-economic backgrounds, some populations are more at-risk and face additional barriers to accessing services. The GBV Program responds to this need by providing funding to eligible organizations at the local, regional and national levels for projects that address gaps in supports for specific groups of survivors, including Indigenous women, and other underserved populations, such as children and youth, LGBTQ2 communities, non-status/refugee/immigrant women, seniors, women living in official language minority communities, women living in northern, rural and remote communities, and women living with disabilities.

Call for concepts: Promising Practices to Support Survivors and their Families

In January 2018, Minister Monsef announced $20 million in funding for a call for concepts as part of the new Gender-Based Violence Program. Following Budget 2018, the funding for the Gender-Based Violence Program more than doubled so that more organizations, such as sexual assault crisis centres, are better able to help population groups at the highest risk of experiencing violence. The GBV Program piloted an innovative approach to supporting community organizations, which includes:

• a longer funding period of up to five years;
• a two-stage application process, which reduced the administrative burden for applicant organizations. Less information was required in the initial concept phase, which meant a leaner application process for organizations;
• eligible recipients were expanded to include labour groups and unions; provinces, territories, municipalities and their agencies; research organizations and institutes, centres of expertise, educational institutions (i.e. universities, colleges, CÉGEPs, secondary schools, school boards/school districts), as well as public health institutions, hospitals, and health care service providers; and
• testing and evaluation of promising practices is emphasized, which will lead to clear impact and results for Canadians.

Today's announcement also highlighted two projects receiving funding from the GBV Program:

Centre for Research on Youth at Risk (St. Thomas University)

Project title: Trauma to Strength with Polyvictimized Incarcerated Women
Funding amount: up to $1 million

The Centre for Research on Youth at Risk seeks to test and adapt the evidence-informed program "Beyond Violence" to be able to effectively respond to and support the lived experience of young women (under the age of 30) and Indigenous women who are incarcerated and have experienced polyvictimization.

The Centre for Research on Youth at Risk is a faculty research centre at St. Thomas University, and engages in applied research related to youth justice and young people who are disengaged from communities.

"A very high percentage of incarcerated women are survivors of repeated gender -based violence throughout their lives, beginning in childhood. Many also face marginalization, economic instability, intergenerational trauma and community violence. With this federal investment, we are thrilled to be able to work collaboratively with incarcerated women to include their voices in the development of a project that support survivors from this underserved population address these issues and  work towards living fully and free from violence"

Dr. Susan Reid, Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice and Director of the Centre for Research on Youth at Risk, St. Thomas University

Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Inc.

Project title: Trauma Stewardship: A Critical Component in Trauma Informed Supports to Survivors
Funding amount: $749,995

The Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Inc. seeks to implement and evaluate promising practices of Trauma Stewardship as a critical component of sexual violence and gender-based violence. Their project will help them do this to improve service delivery for survivors of sexual violence, especially underserved populations such as Indigenous women and women in rural communities. 

As a feminist collective, the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Inc. has been providing support to survivors of sexual violence for more than 40 years. It delivers services for sexual assault awareness, counselling, and crisis support to those affected by sexual violence, built on a strong and skilled membership. 

"Sexual violence can and does happen to anyone, and happens disproportionately to marginalized groups including cis and trans women, children, LGBTQ/MOGAI people, people of colour, Indigenous women, immigrant women, sex trade workers, and others. Regardless of circumstance, no one deserves sexual violence. We thank the Government of Canada for this significant investment in the people of New Brunswick to develop promising practices of trauma stewardship as critical components to supporting survivors of sexual and gender-based violence."

Lorraine Whalley, Executive Director
Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Inc.

Associated Links

• Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Inc.
• Indigenous Women's Association of the Maliseet and Mi'kmaq Territories Inc.
• Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick (available in French only)
• Young Women's Christian Association of Moncton
• Women Deliver 2019

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SOURCE Department for Women and Gender Equality

Braeson Holland, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality, 343-549-8825; Valérie Haché, Senior Communications Advisor, Department for Women and Gender Equality, 819-420-8684