Yukon MP Brendan Hanley announced up to $402,157 for the Yukon Aboriginal Women’s Council today.

The funding will allow the council to increase its ability to prevent and address gender-based violence (GBV) against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, with a focus on 2SLGBTQQIA+ Indigenous people in the Yukon and northern B.C.

Hanley made the announcement on behalf of Marci Ien, the minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth.

It builds on the endorsement of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence by the federal-provincial-territorial ministers responsible for the Status of Women in November 2022.

“The rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people are unacceptable,” Hanley said.

“Frontline organizations, advocates and volunteers are working hard for systemic change, and supporting their efforts is critical.

“The funding announced today will help the Yukon Aboriginal Women’s Council build greater capacity to provide GBV prevention programming, aimed at addressing the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.”

The National Action Plan includes five pillars:

• Support for victims, survivors and their families;

• Prevention;

• Responsive justice system;

• Implementing Indigenous-led approaches; and

• Social infrastructure and enabling environment.

This funding is part of the approximately $601.3 million that the federal government committed through Budget 2021 to increase efforts to end gender-based violence.

This announcement builds on previous WAGE funding of over $13 million to more than 100 commemoration projects to help honour the lives and legacies of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.

Budget 2022 committed $539.3 million over five years to support the provinces and territories in their efforts to implement the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence.

The money is a key contribution under the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, particularly Pillar 4, which supports Indigenous-led approaches.

It also represents a key initiative of the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People (Federal Pathway).

Ottawa has committed approximately $300 million in emergency COVID-19 funding to support individuals experiencing gender-based violence.

Since April 2020, the federal government has invested more than $259 million of emergency COVID-19 funding in 1,400 women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, and other organizations, including 138 organizations that serve Indigenous individuals.

“The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls highlighted the underlying systemic causes of ongoing violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people,” said Women and Gender Equality Canada.

“The COVID-19 pandemic also created unprecedented challenges for victims and survivors seeking help and the frontline organizations that support them.”