The Governments of Canada and Yukon sign bilateral agreement to end gender-based violence

Press Release

October 11, 2023 – Whitehorse, Yukon

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, the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, joined by the Honourable Jeanie McLean, Yukon’s Minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate, announced a historic bilateral agreement. The Government of Canada will be investing close to $16.4 million over four years to support the implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence in Yukon.

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 prevention 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.

The Government of Yukon will collaborate with partners and organizations across the province to improve services to victims and survivors of gender-based violence, as well as to their families. There will also be a focus on prevention initiatives that can help address the root causes of GBV and stop violence before it occurs. The investment will also support Indigenous organizations to build capacity and deliver culturally relevant supports. And, it will support the implementation of the territory’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit+ Strategy.

This announcement is among a series of bilateral agreements that are being signed between the federal government and provinces and territories. It is in addition to the funding provided to Yukon last year to support crisis hotlines. These investments will help the Government of Yukon to create and enhance critical programs and supports for survivors of gender-based violence and their families.

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 in partnership with Indigenous partners, survivors, civil society organizations, front-line service providers, municipalities, the private sector and researchers to implement the National Action Plan within their jurisdictions in a way that responds to the evolving needs of and emerging issues for survivors and victims of gender-based violence.

Quotes

“Today’s historic announcement builds on years of federal, provincial and territorial collaboration, working with Indigenous partners, survivors, experts, and frontline organizations. We know that the issue of gender-based violence disproportionally impacts women and girls living in rural and remote communities, and support for survivors is difficult to access. By partnering with the territorial government, we are making sure that these supports are strong, culturally relevant and respond to the needs of Indigenous communities.”

The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth

“Our government has long recognized and worked towards addressing the high rates of gender-based violence in the Yukon. The funding received from Women and Gender Equality Canada will directly benefit non-government organizations working on the front lines, as well as programs delivered by the Government of Yukon. We are thankful for the input from Yukoners and organizations that respond to gender-based violence. Their contribution helped us identify funding priorities for the first two years of the agreement. I look forward to working alongside Yukon’s women and gender-equity seeking organizations to further our shared goals. By working together, we can create lasting systemic change to address, prevent, and eliminate gender-based violence in our territory.”

The Honourable Jeanie McLean, Minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate in Yukon

Quick facts

Since 2021, the Government of Canada has committed $1.14 billion to advance the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, including $539.3 million over five years to support provinces and territories in their efforts to implement the National Action Plan.
More than 11 million people in Canada have experienced intimate partner violence, a type of gender-based violence, at least once since the age of 15.
In 2009, it was estimated that intimate partner violence has an economic cost of $7.4 billion annually, and sexual violence, a cost of $4.8 billion annually. It is further estimated that Canadian businesses lose millions due to decreased productivity and individuals being unable to work as a result of GBV.
Rates of police-reported violence against young women and girls tend to be the highest in the territories, with a rate of more than four times the national average reported in Yukon in 2017.
In 2021, Yukon was among the top three provinces and territories with the highest rates of human trafficking per 100,000 population.
Children and youth, specifically girls, were more likely to be victims of family violence in the territories than in the provinces, with Nunavut reporting the highest rate, followed by the Northwest Territories and Yukon in 2019.

Associated links

Contacts

Nanki Singh
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
819-665-2632
Nanki.Singh@fegc-wage.gc.ca

Media Relations
Women and Gender Equality Canada
819-420-6530
FEGC.Media.WAGE@fegc-wage.gc.ca

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