OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 21, 2022 /CNW/ - Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and all LGBTQQIA+ Indigenous people have the right to be safe and have every opportunity to fully participate in the economic, social, and cultural life. The Government of Canada continues to support Indigenous communities to advance reconciliation and achieve equity for all Indigenous peoples.

Today, the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, announced over $14 million to fund 34 projects that will support Indigenous women by improving economic participation, increasing leadership in various sectors, and preventing and eliminating gender-based violence. While enhancing reconciliation and distinction-based approaches for Indigenous women and girls, these projects will address the intersectional barriers to equality that many communities face.

Minister Ien also met with two community organizations fostering learning and empowering Indigenous people.

• Trent University's First Peoples House of Learning discussed their project to create an Indigenous women-led interactive and experiential training model. The project will also raise awareness of the many ways in which unconscious bias makes Indigenous women more vulnerable to gender-based violence. The organization received over $491,000 in funding.
  
  
• The National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association discussed capacity building for its network of Aboriginal Financial Institutions (AFIs). The network will advance gender equality and address barriers to entrepreneurship for Indigenous women by offering training. It will also launch a national campaign to increase the representation of many Indigenous women entrepreneurs and raise awareness of the barriers they face. The organization received $560,000 in funding.

Quotes

"We cannot achieve true and lasting gender equality without ensuring the safety of diverse Indigenous peoples. Throughout the pandemic, community organizations saw an increased demand for support, and many workers acted to fulfill the community's needs. The Government of Canada understands the impact and importance of these critical services and is committed to supporting the important work of Indigenous organizations across the country. Investing in these projects will address systemic issues and move us forward on the path to reconciliation."

The Honourable Marci Ien, P.C., M.P., Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth

"Trent University is proud to be taking an active role in ensuring Canada is a safe and supportive place for all women. With the support of Women and Gender Equality Canada, our new training program will share diverse perspectives and empower Indigenous women and girls across Canada."

Dr. Leo Groarke, President, Trent University

"Support for Indigenous women entrepreneurs through WAGE's programs is welcomed and needed more than ever given the disproportionate effects the pandemic and its ongoing response have had on an already marginalized group. By inspiring young women and girls in Indigenous communities to consider entrepreneurship as a viable career path and breaking down the barriers they face in accessing capital and other supports, we will advance not only the economic security and prosperity of Indigenous women, their families, and their communities, but recognize and empower the important role they can and must play in Canada's economic recovery."

Magnolia Perron, Indigenous Women and Youth Team Lead, National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association

Quick Facts

• Through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada committed $3 billion over five years to increase efforts to end gender-based violence, including $601.3 million over five years toward a National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
  
  
• Despite only accounting for 5% of Canada's population, Indigenous women and girls accounted for 21% of all women killed by an intimate partner in 2020.
  
  
• 43% of Indigenous women reported having been sexually assaulted at least once since the age of 15 (compared to 30% of women who are not Indigenous).

Associated Links

• Women and Gender Equality Canada
• Gender-Based Violence Knowledge Centre
• Trent University's First Peoples House of Learning
• National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association

Notes for the media:

Media can contact the office of the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, to schedule an interview or to request more information.

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Backgrounder

Women and Gender Equality Canada

Women and Gender Equality Canada announced over $14 million to fund 34 projects that will support Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQ+ people to improve economic participation, increase leadership in various sectors, and help prevent and eliminate gender-based violence.

Project Funding Details

British Columbia Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres
Victoria, British Columbia
Project name: BCAAFC project - Building capacity to address Indigenous Gender-based violence
Funding amount: $1,366,878

Government of Yukon Women's Directorate
Whitehorse, Yukon
Project name: Capacity Building Funding to Yukon Organizations
Funding amount: $694,000

Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak
Ottawa, Ontario
Project name: Enhancing and Creating Safety through application of Métis Specific Culturally-Competent Gender Based Analysis (CCGBA+)
Funding amount: $650,500

Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak
Ottawa, Ontario
Project name: Empowering Métis Women in Leadership
Funding amount: $125,000

Liard Aboriginal Women's Society (LAWS)
Watson Lake, Yukon
Project name: Kaska Advocates Leadership Pilot Project / Projet pilote des porte-parole des Kaskas
Funding amount: $612,519

Prince Albert Métis Women's Association Inc.
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Project name: Paray Miyoopimatishihk: Improving Equality Through Analysis, Advocacy and System Design in Northern Saskatchewan
Funding amount: $589,414

Trent University's First Peoples House of Learning
Peterborough, Ontario
Project name: The Way We Speak Together: Enwaaying Training Initiatives
Funding amount: $491,304

National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association
Ottawa, Ontario
Project name: Increasing Representation of Indigenous Women in Entrepreneurship with a Goal of Advancing Indigenous Economic Prosperity
Funding amount: $560,000

Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Project name: Honouring Her Spark
Funding amount: $500,000

MakeWay Foundation
Vancouver, British Columbia
Project name: Women's Leadership Collective for nature and climate action / Collectif de leadership des femmes – action pour la nature et le climat
Funding amount: $500,000

Indigenous Women's Association of the Maliseet and Mi'kmaq Territories Inc.
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Project name: Wabanaki Women's Traditional Leadership: Disrupting Systemic Racism in New Brunswick
Funding amount: $499,990

Infinity Women Secretariat Inc.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Project name: Fighting Inequality-Advancing Gender Equality Policy and Practice in Manitoba Métis Government and Communities
Funding amount: $499,531

ANDPVA
Toronto, Ontario
Project name: Partnerships with band councils and sharing circles for women to end Indigenous gender-based violence / Partenariats avec les conseils de bande et les cercles de partage pour les femmes afin de mettre fin à la violence sexiste autochtone
Funding amount: $493,200

Victoria Native Friendship Centre
Victoria, British Columbia
Project name: Cultural Safety Facilitator for Indigenous Health / Facilitatrice ou facilitateur de la sécurité culturelle pour la santé des autochtones
Funding amount: $468,250

Centre d'Innovation des Premiers Peuples
Gatineau, Quebec
Project name: Indigenous women and digital skills: The Onaki model / Femmes autochtones et compétences numériques : le concept ONAKI
Funding amount: $434,396

Manitoba Association of Women's Shelters Inc.
Winkler, Manitoba
Project name: Centring the rights of women from the margins: delivering low barrier and nondiscriminatory GBV services
Funding amount: $430,390

Newfoundland Aboriginal Women's Network Inc.
Stephenville, Newfoundland
Project name: Realigning our Circle: Paving the way to Resilience
Funding amount: $424,649

Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society
Victoria, British Columbia
Project name: Advancing Safety and Prosperity for Indigenous Women on Vancouver Island Through Systemic Action with Police / Promouvoir la sécurité et la prospérité des femmes autochtones sur l'île de Vancouver par la prise de mesures systémiques avec les services de police
Funding amount: $419,257

Elizabeth Fry Society of Northwestern Ontario
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Project name: Stronger,together: Aligning feminist efforts in Northern Ontario to impact systemic change for criminalized women / Plus fort, ensemble : Aligner les efforts féministes dans le Nord de l'Ontario pour impacter le changement systémique pour les femmes criminalisées
Funding amount: $396,114

Whitehorse Aboriginal Women's Circle
Whitehorse, Yukon
Project name: Virtual Resource Centre for Indigenous Women and Families / Centre de ressources virtuel pour les femmes et les familles autochtones
Funding amount: $375,000

Cold Lake First Nations
Cold Lake, Alberta
Project name: Advancing Gender Equality for Indigenous Women and Girls Through System Change and Economic Recovery
Funding amount: $374,984

British Columbia Assembly of First Nations
Prince George, British Columbia
Project name: Developing capacity for inclusive and representative spaces, and intersectional policy within BCAFN and communities / Accroître la capacité du BCAFN et des collectivités de créer des environnements inclusifs et représentatifs, et d'élaborer une politique intersectionnelle
Funding amount: $334,800

Downtown Eastside Women's Centre Association
Vancouver, British Columbia
Project name: Social justice programming to combat systemic injustice contributing to women's vulnerability in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside / Programmes de justice sociale destinés à combattre les injustices systémiques contribuant à la vulnérabilité des femmes dans le centre-est de Vancouver
Funding amount: $300,000

Mid Island Métis Nation
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Project name: New Approaches to Economic Recovery
Funding amount: $300,000

The Elizabeth Fry Society of Northern Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
Project name: Community and Indigenous Outreach Project
Funding amount: $300,000

Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre Inc.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Project name: Iskwewak awetowak nipocawin (Women Leading Knowledge) -
Indigenous Women's Research Institute
Funding amount: $299,997

River East Transcona School Division
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Project name: Their voices: What Indigenous girls need to feel safe and succeed in school
Funding amount: $292,960

Puakuteu, le comité de femmes de Mashteuiatsh
Mashteuiatsh, Quebec
Project name: Femmes d'actions, femmes de décisions ! / Women of action, women decision makers
Funding amount: $281,136

Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women
Edmonton, Alberta
Project name: Alberta Indigenous Women Guardian Angels
Funding amount: $270,350

Barren Lands First Nation
Brochet, Manitoba
Project name: Barren Lands First Nation Women's Council
Funding amount: $247,800

Lifetime Productions Ltd
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Project name: Disruption: Changing Saskatchewan's Tech Ecosystem to Empower Indigenous Women
Funding amount: $222,002

Yukon Aboriginal Women's Council
Whitehorse, Yukon
Project name: YAWC's Indigenous Case Management and Referral System Implementation Project / Projet de mise en œuvre d'un système de gestion des cas et d'aiguillage pour les autochtones du YAWC
Funding amount: $158,700

Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
Project name: Empowering Inuit Women in Leadership: an environmental scan and needs assessment
Funding amount: $125,000

Candace House, Inc.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Project name: Heart Spaces
Funding amount: $84,000

SOURCE Women and Gender Equality Canada

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