Government of Canada supports survivors of gender-based violence in Manitoba

WINNIPEG, March 7, 2019 /CNW/ - Ending gender-based violence is crucial if we are serious about giving everyone the same opportunities to join and grow Canada's middle class. We all benefit when women, girls and people of all genders are safe and free to live their lives to the fullest.

Today, Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, and Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality, announced the selection of two organizations which will receive federal funding to support survivors of gender-based violence, including people who have been underserved, such as Indigenous women and their communities, children and youth, ethno-cultural women, LGTBQ2 communities and gender-non-binary people, women who are newcomers, refugees or non-status, seniors, women living in an official language minority community, women living with disabilities, and women in northern, rural, and remote communities.

The community organizations that will receive funding are:

• Ka Ni Kanichihk, Inc. for their project entitled Heart Medicine Lodge: A Promising Practice in Supporting Indigenous Women Survivors of Sexualized Violence. The project will test an existing successful healing program to see how it can be used to support Indigenous women survivors of sexual violence in rural, northern and First Nation communities in Manitoba.
• West Region Child and Family Services, Inc. for their project entitled Reclaiming Wellness – Mino Ayaa Daa, which will test the annual land-based cultural healing gathering practice Reclaiming our Voices. This project looks at issues related to the lack of access to culturally-appropriate services and resources for First Nations survivors of gender-based violence.

Last year, Minister Monsef announced more than $50 million in funding for nearly 60 projects in communities across the country, including the two announced today, to support survivors of gender-based violence and their families.

Quotes

"With this investment, we are funding women's organizations like Ka Ni Kanichihk and West Region Child and Family Services which provide essential services to support survivors and their families. This funding envelope was developed in partnership with leaders from the women's sector, whose advice continues to inform Canada's first Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence. Leaders asked for more dollars over a longer period of time to meet the ever growing demand for their services, a simplified application process, and resources to help provide supports for the most underserved and marginalized survivors of gender-based violence. Our government listened. Gender-based violence must not be tolerated, and we will continue to work with survivors, community partners, the private sector and other orders of government to end GBV in all of its forms."

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

"Indigenous women in Manitoba who are survivors of gender-based violence often experience barriers when it comes to accessing services. We are helping to make those services more readily available through funding for traditional healing projects. The funding available from the Department for Women and Gender Equality's Gender-Based Violence Program provides an opportunity to help more organizations who support underserved populations, and this will make a difference in the lives of survivors in Manitoba."

Terry Duguid
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality
Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South

"Ka Ni Kanichihk is a community based organization working towards improving the lives of women, children, men and families living in the core of Winnipeg. Their efforts to lift people up and ensure that women are strong, have services and a voice is important to long-term community health."

Robert-Falcon Ouellette
Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre

"The social transformations required to end gender-based violence come from local leadership and community-based, culturally relevant, Indigenous-led services. That's why Indigenous women who are survivors of gender-based violence appreciate the support and healing programs that we offer. The Government of Canada's financial support will provide our organization the continuity we require to provide and improve our ability to guide our people back to balance and wellness."

Dodie Jordaan, Executive Director
Ka Ni Kanichihk, Inc. 

"We are always working to fill the need for services and resources for First Nation survivors of gender-based violence. These services are essential for the survivors and for the well-being of the community at large. This new funding support from the federal government will help us in our mission to incorporate traditional values into our work and achieve healthy, vibrant First Nation communities in a safe and nurturing environment."

Stella Bone, Executive Director 
West Region Child and Family Services

Quick Facts

• In June 2017, the Department for Women and Gender Equality (formerly Status of Women Canada) announced the first-ever federal Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence.
• To date, the Government of Canada has invested over $200 million across government to prevent gender-based violence, support survivors and their families, and create more responsive legal and justice systems.
• The Promising practices to support survivors and their families call for concepts is the largest amount of funding ever announced for programming to specifically support diverse groups of gender-based violence survivors and their families.
• Some populations are more likely to experience violence and may face unique barriers and challenges that put them at particular risk (Statistics Canada, 2015).
• 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.

Related Product

• Backgrounder

Associated Links

• Ka Ni Kanichihk, Inc.
• West Region Child and Family Services, Inc.
• Department for Women and Gender Equality's Gender-Based Violence Program
• It's Time: Canada's Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence

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Backgrounder

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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 their communities, and other underserved populations, such as children and youth, LGBTQ2 communities and gender non-binary people, 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 centers, 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, centers 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.

Manitoba Projects

Today's announcement profiled two projects from Manitoba that are each receiving funding up to $1 million:

Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc.

Project title: Heart Medicine Lodge: A Promising Practice in Supporting Indigenous Women Survivors of Sexualized Violence

This project will test an existing healing program, the Heart Medicine Lodge, as a best practice in supporting Indigenous women survivors of gender-based violence in rural, northern and First Nation communities in Manitoba. The Heart Medicine Lodge offers culturally-based support and advocacy services for Indigenous women who have experienced sexual assault and gender-based violence. Services provided include sharing circles, advocacy, traditional ceremonies, Elder support and counselling services.

Incorporated in 2002 as a not-for-profit organization, Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc. is an Indigenous-led organization located in Winnipeg. It offers culturally-safe programs and services, focusing on wholeness and wellness while building on the inherent strengths, perseverance and resilience of Indigenous peoples. Meaning "those who lead," Ka Ni Kanichihk helps people to help themselves, build healthy relationships, and create a sustainable future for the community.

West Region Child and Family Services, Inc.

Project title: Reclaiming Wellness – Mino Ayaa Daa

The project will test the promising practice "Reclaiming our Voices," an annual land-based cultural healing gathering, in order to address issues related to the lack of access to culturally-appropriate services and resources for First Nations survivors of gender-based violence.

West Region Child and Family Services Inc. (WRCFS) is a non-profit organization based out of Erickson, Manitoba, that provides a full-range of child and family services to nine Indigenous communities in the West Region Tribal Council area, including; the protection of children, reunification, prevention programming, and family enhancement services. Over the last 35 years, WRCFS has developed various community-based initiatives such as treatment, gender-based violence prevention, community-capacity development, wrap-around services for youth, and training.

SOURCE Department for Women and Gender Equality

For further information: Braeson Holland, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality, 343-549-8825; Valérie Haché, Communications Officer, Department for Women and Gender Equality, 819-420-8684

Related Links

http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/