The YWCA NWT which is a women’s organization working to increase women’s safety across the Northwest Territories (NWT) received an investment from the Government of Canada over the weekend to help end violence.
On Saturday, Feb 28, Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for the NWT, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, announced $1 million in federal funding for the organization.
“People facing gender-based violence deserve not only protections but also a pathway to thrive and realize their potential,” McLeod said. “To achieve this, we will need sustainable funding that addresses gaps and supports for everyone, including underserved groups in rural and remote regions of Canada. I am pleased to make this announcement as this investment by the Government of Canada will help YWCA NWT pilot alternatives to safe homes to better support survivors in our territory.”
According to a government news release, “The YWCA NWT will address service gaps and barriers in the NWT by testing different ways of providing safe homes in smaller, remote communities that currently do not have spaces for women who experience violence.”
An important aspect of the project will be collaborating with local stakeholders, including survivors of gender-based violence and community and political leaders, to realize sustainable solutions.
“This funding by the Government of Canada will give us more stability and improve our resources, helping us in this work of securing a better future for women and families across the NWT,” Lyda Fuller, Executive Director of the YWCA NWT said. “We look forward to making new partnerships and creating service provisions that are truly survivor-driven in our efforts to address gender-based violence. It will work to ensure that survivors of gender-based violence in small communities can rely on timely, reliable, and trauma-informed services.”
“With this investment, we are funding YWCA NWT to support survivors and their families. 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,” Monsef, said. “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.”
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.
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