Margaret Nakashuk, Nunavut’s minister responsible for the status of women, speaks during Friday’s announcement of a bilateral agreement between the GN and federal government to reduce gender-based violence. (Photo courtesy of the Government of Nunavut)
Ottawa, GN announce plans to reduce gender-based violence
Two separate announcements detail agreement as well as funding for specific organizations
The federal government and the government of Nunavut announced the signing of two agreements to reduce gender-based violence on Friday.
The announcement, which included close to $17 million to help victims and survivors of gender-based violence, was made in Nunavut’s Legislative Assembly by federal Minister for Women and Gender Equality, Marci Ien, along with Nunavut’s Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, Margaret Nakashuk and Health Minister John Main.
The UN defines gender-based violence as “harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender.”
“Gender-based violence 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,” Ien’s office said in an official statement released soon after the announcement.
The money will be used to help the GN understand and treat the deep causes of gender-based violence in the territory, Nakashuk said.
Gender-based violence requires a number of solutions, Main said.
“To effectively address gender-based violence, it is imperative we embrace a holistic, multi-level governmental approach” that engages with Inuit organizations.
Included in the $17-million plan is $16.4 million that will be spread over four years to support the creation of a National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence in Nunavut, the government said.
The action plan will commit money to programs to support victims of gender-based violence and their families. Education programs will also work toward enhancing knowledge and awareness among frontline workers, adults and adolescents, of the root causes of gender-based violence, the warning signs and ways to prevent it.
An additional $500,000 will be allocated to further bolster crisis hotlines in Nunavut. Nunavut is the last of the 13 provinces and territories to reach an agreement on federal support of crisis lines.
The announcement comes a day after Ien announced close to $2 million in funding for four Nunavut organizations also to address gender-based violence.
From that total, Qikiqtani Inuit Association will receive $330,000 to increase its involvement in community leadership.
Another $500,000 will go to the Kitikmeot Friendship Society to enrich and expand its work in education and prevention, which will focus in particular on the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
It will create an advisory group and organize community consultations. “2S” stands for “two-spirit,” a term used exclusively by Indigenous queer individuals.
The Kitikmeot Friendship Society is based in Cambridge Bay and advocates for community welfare and social justice.
The Ilitaqsiniq organization, also known as the Nunavut Literacy Council, will receive $625,000 to increase staff training, recruitment and retention. It also plans to develop a 2SLGBTQ+ “pan-northern partnership network to address gender-based violence.”
Ilitaqsiniq is based in Rankin Inlet and is a culture-informed programming and education organization, with a focus on Nunavummiut and Arctic workplaces.
The federal government is also providing $540,000 in funding to the Nunavummi Disabilities Makinnasuaqtiit Society to promote education on gender-based violence toward disabled Inuit women and girls in the territory.
The non-profit is based in Iqaluit and works as an advocate for Nunavummiut with disabilities.
“Inuit and Indigenous women play vital roles in their communities as leaders, caregivers and organizers — yet we know that they are disproportionately impacted by gender-based violence,” Ien said Thursday.
“Our government will continue to invest in plans and projects led by Inuit and Indigenous women that build capacity from the ground up to help drive transformative, foundational changes.”
As this is a gender based violence I am assuming it will be for both genders, men and women.
Violence goes both ways, one gender however has less reported and brushed under the rug, either by the officers or the justice system , or the victim doesn’t report it. Because of shame, not being believed and the system is built against them.
If you want to tackle gender based violence then it has to include both genders or this will not work, only half at best will get support and the other half will not.
Also what makes it gender based violence and not family violence? is it gender based if someone only beats an opposite gender? if they get drunk and beat on who ever is around in the family is that different?
Gender-based violence is not really a reality. At least not to degree that it is peddled. What is usually being referred to is domestic violence, however that term doesn’t get as much buzz. As described in the article, gender-based violence is “harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender”. However, we see in same-sex relationships that the instance of domestic violence is approximately the same, if not higher, than it is in male-female relationships. This is a clear indicator that the violence is not gender-based, it is simply an instance of domestic/family violence.
So, about $1 per victum.
Truth & Reconciliation day again for all Canadas people and may it go well !
I have to ask why do so many of our leaders ignore their own communities problems ?
They talk so big on the TV, and that’s it.
Is it because they get big money, expenses and dance to the governments tune ?
Anybody with answers ?
It’s because they not leaders. They idiots put into,power by the ignorant public, I don’t vote so I didn’t put any idiots in. Next time you vote , just remember who you vote for. And leadership as a job, from employment, not by vote, is put in there by other idiot staff.
Part of the problem, a big part, is that our choices are so poor.
Clare’s Law?
The narrative has been very effective to divide Canadians and members of other Western societies in Europe, USA, and Australia. The outcome of division is usually one of being conquered; unless we halt the baizuo narrative, the oligarch brand of antisocial-socialism will prevail.
As long as there is alcohol and drugs, bars, beer and wine stores ,the 17 million will be a waste of money.
“Nunavut Literacy Council, will receive $625,000 to increase staff training, recruitment and retention.”
so they get to pay themselves more and hire more family.
Good job on them being really good proposal writers.
Do they even do literacy training?
They ran a strong-person contest last summer, hosted a whale hunt… awesome. But, do you ever do literacy? Even a little bit?
You nailed it, the magic key is the ability to write wonderful, inspiring words on a page. To speak the language of your benefactors, to use the appropriate jargon.
This reads, sounds the erasing of the word “women” and “female”.
Government paying out the big bucks and women, females happily make it a reality.
Frightening.
I guess it goes both ways. I got beat and humiliated by a woman for 12/13 years and I stayed cause my mom told me over and over ….”You HAVE to stay no matter what she does!! You have children. MAYBE she’ll change!”😥