Projects address capacity needs and support promising practices to allow organizations to continue promoting social and systemic changes towards gender equality and to support survivors of gender-based violence

MONTREAL, Aug. 11, 2020 /CNW/ – COVID-19 is a crisis unlike any other. It has hit women hardest with jobs lost and women taking on more unpaid work than they already were for their kids as well as their elders. Women are the majority of those on the front lines of the fight against COVID. That includes nurses, of course, but also personal support workers, other health care workers, child care workers, food sector workers and social workers. 

Women’s organizations provide vital services in our communities, supporting women and girls to be financially secure, free from violence, and able to fully participate in all aspects of our economy and society. Yet, there is still a lot of work to do to ensure they have the resources their need to continue their important work.

That’s why today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, announced an investment of more than $2 million for four projects supporting women and girls in Quebec.

The following organizations are receiving funding:

• The Concertation des luttes contre l’exploitation sexuelle (CLES) is receiving $450,000, under the Women’s Program’s continuous intake process, to enhance their organizational capacity, specifically in the areas of human resources management, strategic planning, partnership development, collaboration and networking, and diversification of funding sources;
• Info-Femmes Inc. is receiving $149,584, under the Capacity-Building Fund, to enhance their organizational capacity, to support strategic planning, partnership development, collaboration and networking, diversification of funding sources, as well as the development of an advocacy strategy;
• The Association féminine d’éducation et d’action sociale (AFEAS) is receiving $749,999, under the Capacity-Building Fund, to enhance their organizational capacity in various areas in order to allow them to maintain a stable organization, capable of renewing and increasing its membership, as well as recruiting new employees; and
• The Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes is receiving $709,000, under the Gender-Based Violence Program, to document the impact of pre-migration trauma on refugee and newcomer women during their integration and settlement in Canada, which will allow stakeholders to better respond to their needs by identifying the risk factors and responding more effectively to reduce re-victimization in Canada.

Funding for these projects stems from historic Budget 2018 investments in both the Capacity-building Fund, to support a sustainable women’s movement, and the Gender-Based Violence Program to address gaps in support for underserved groups in Canada that experience gender-based violence.

Quotes

“With our historic investments, we recognize the contribution of women and organizations that work to break down barriers. We proudly support these organizations that work hard to empower women and to ensure that their rights and interests are respected and protected. The four organizations that receive funding today are distinguished by their dynamism and dedication to gender equality. Funding for these projects is making a real difference for women across the province.”

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages
Member of Parliament for Ahuntsic-Cartierville

“This funding to build the capacity of organizations is an important contribution to the strengthening of the women’s movement in Canada and, in our case, the fight against sexual exploitation. With governance tools and strategic planning, we will be better able to achieve our mission. Our organization has been in existence for 15 years and this funding is very timely. Our capacity to act as a feminist organization is thus strengthened, as is our impact in society.”

Diane Matte, Coordinator
Concertation des luttes contre l’exploitation sexuelle

“Info-Femmes is proud to receive this funding from the Government of Canada. Greater organizational capacity is allowing us to expand our reach and thus accompany even more women in their quest to break isolation and to empower themselves.”

Anik Paradis, Coordinator
Info-Femmes Inc.

“The Association féminine d’éducation et d’action sociale carries out many activities to help our members across Quebec to raise their voices in defence of equality between women and men. We are grateful for this federal funding, which supports our mission to achieve full recognition of the economic, social, cultural and political contributions of women in our society.”

Hélène Tremblay, Chair
Association féminine d’éducation et d’action sociale

“With this funding from the Government of Canada, the Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes will be able to expand its research capacity and knowledge capacity, thereby offering even better support and defence of the rights and protection of refugee and newcomer women in Quebec.”

Lida Aghasi, Co-chair
Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes

Quick Facts

• As part of the COVID-19 response, the Government of Canada is investing $350 million in the Emergency Community Support Fund to support charities and non-profit organizations requiring financial assistance to address the pandemic.
• As part of the COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, $50 million was allocated to support organizations providing services to women and their families fleeing violence, $40 million of which was allocated by Women and Gender Equality Canada. Through the first phase of this funding, $30 million was directly delivered to nearly 700 women’s shelters and organizations serving survivors of sexual assault. Through the second phase, the remaining $10 million is being distributed to other organizations that provide important services to those experiencing gender-based violence. Through both phases of this funding, the federal government is supporting nearly 1000 organizations across the country.
• Budget 2018 announced $100 million over five years to support a viable and sustainable women’s movement across Canada. Adding to this historic investment, Budget 2019 invested a further $160 million over five years, starting in 2019–20, in Women and Gender Equality Canada’s Women’s Program. This means that in 2023–24, the Women’s Program, which supports eligible organizations to carry out projects to advance equality by addressing systemic barriers, will total $100 million.
• In June 2017, Women and Gender Equality Canada (formerly Status of Women Canada) announced the first-ever federal Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence. 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.
• This funding will enable women’s organizations and Indigenous organizations serving women to tackle systemic barriers impeding women’s progress, while recognizing and addressing the diverse experiences of gender and inequality across the country.

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Backgrounder

Women and Gender Equality Canada – Women’s Program

Women and Gender Equality Canada works to advance equality for women by focusing its efforts in three priority areas: increasing women’s economic security and prosperity; encouraging women’s leadership and democratic participation; and ending gender-based violence. Women and Gender Equality Canada also plays a leadership role in the government-wide implementation of Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+).

One of the ways Women and Gender Equality Canada advances gender equality in Canada is by providing funding to eligible organizations through the Women’s Program. Projects are selected via calls for proposals on specific themes, as well as through a continuous intake process that allows the Women’s Program to address emerging issues as they arise.

The Women’s Program funds projects that address systemic barriers to women’s equality in three priority areas: ending violence against women and girls; improving the economic security and prosperity of women and girls; and encouraging women and girls in leadership roles.

Capacity-building Call for Proposals

In October 2018, Minister Monsef announced a Call for Proposals under the Capacity-building Fund of the Women’s Program. Projects at the local, provincial/territorial, and national level were eligible for different amounts of funding, based on their specific internal needs and reach.

On March 8, 2019, International Women’s Day, Minister Monsef announced that over 250 women’s organizations across the country would receive funding from the Capacity-building Fund.

The objective is to fund proposals that will increase the capacity of eligible women’s organizations and Indigenous organizations working to advance women’s equality, whose initiatives contribute to a viable women’s movement in Canada that advances gender equality. Funding will help to increase organizational capacity and help organizations work collectively to address gender equality issues. This funding provided the flexibility for organizations to apply for funding to address their specific capacity needs. The fund stems from the Budget 2018 announcement of $100 million over five years to help support a viable and sustainable women’s movement across Canada.

Women and Gender Equality Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Program

Following the June 2017 announcement of It’s Time: Canada’s Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence, Women and Gender Equality Canada (formerly Status of Women Canada) launched the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Program in January 2018.

The GBV Program complements the department’s Women’s Program, and helps organizations working in the GBV sector to develop and implement promising practices to address gaps in supports for survivors and their families.

While violence affects people of all genders, ages, cultures, ethnicities, geographic locations, and socio-economic backgrounds, some populations are more at-risk and face additional barriers to accessing services. The GBV Program responds to this need by providing funding to eligible organizations at the local, regional and national levels for projects that address gaps in supports for specific groups of survivors, including Indigenous women, and other underserved populations, such as children and youth, LGBTQ2 communities, non-status/refugee/immigrant women, seniors, women living in official language minority communities, women living in northern, rural and remote communities, and women living with disabilities.

Call for concepts: Promising Practices to Support Survivors and their Families

In January 2018, Minister Monsef announced $20 million in funding for a call for concepts as part of the new Gender-Based Violence Program. Following Budget 2018, the funding for the Gender-Based Violence Program more than doubled, meaning that more organizations, such as sexual assault crisis centres, are better able to help population groups at the highest risk of experiencing violence. The GBV Program piloted an innovative approach to supporting community organizations, which includes:

• a longer funding period of up to five years;
• a two-stage application process, which reduced the administrative burden for applicant organizations. Less information was required in the initial concept phase, which meant a leaner application process for organizations;
• eligible recipients were expanded to include labour groups and unions; provinces, territories, municipalities and their agencies; research organizations and institutes, centres of expertise, educational institutions (e.g., universities, colleges, CÉGEPs, secondary schools, school boards/school districts), as well as public health institutions, hospitals, and health care service providers; and
• testing and evaluation of promising practices is emphasized, which will lead to clear impact and results for Canadians.

Quebec Projects

Today’s announcement profiles:

CLES – Concertation des luttes contre l’exploitation sexuelle

Project title: CLES en Main
Funding amount: $450,000 through the continuous intake process under the Women’s Program.

This 35-month project will address organization capacity needs to allow the organization to continue promoting social and systemic changes towards gender equality. Organizational capacity will be enhanced specifically in the areas of human resources management, strategic planning, partnership development, collaboration and networking, and diversification of funding sources.

Established in 2005, CLES has 50 member groups, over 150 individual members and many supporters who believe that a world without prostitution is possible. The work of the organization has three main components: services for women who have a history of involvement in the sex industry and their loved ones, awareness and training, as well as political action.

Info-Femmes Inc.

Project title: Diversification of Funding Sources
Funding amount: $149,584 through the Capacity-building Fund.

This 36-month project will address organization capacity needs to allow the organization to continue promoting social and systemic changes towards gender equality. Info-Femmes will increase their capacity primarily through enhanced strategic planning, partnership development, collaboration and networking, as well as the development of an advocacy strategy.

Info-Femmes’ mission is to break women’s isolation by offering them a place designed by women for women where they can make connections, share their difficulties and pool their experiences and solutions. They can also benefit from tools such as courses, workshops and conferences that can help them regain control of their situation if necessary.

AFEAS – Association féminine d’éducation et d’action sociale 

Project title: Femmes solidaires dans le renouveau
Funding amount: $749,999 through the Capacity-building Fund.

This 60-month project will address organizational capacity needs to allow the organization to continue promoting social and systemic changes towards gender equality. Organizational capacity will be enhanced in the areas of human resources management, board governance, strategic planning and succession planning, partnership development, collaboration and networking, development of an advocacy strategy, as well as implementation of results-based management. Enhanced organizational capacity will allow the AFEAS to maintain a stable organization, capable of renewing and increasing its membership, as well as recruiting new employees in order to pursue its mandate, which is to advance the role of women in society.

Created in 1966, the AFEAS defends the interests of Quebec and Canadian women before various bodies, such as governments, municipal councils, public and parapublic institutions. The organization enables its thousands of members across Quebec to speak out in defence of equality between women and men.

Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes

Project title: La violence basée sur le sexe vécue en contexte pré-migratoire : les impacts sur le parcours et l’adaptation des femmes immigrées et réfugiées installées au Québec
Funding amount: $709,000 under the Gender-Based Violence Program

Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes (TCRI) will document the impact of pre-migration trauma on refugee and immigrant women during their integration and settlement in Canada. This will allow stakeholders to better respond to their needs by identifying the risk factors and responding more effectively to reduce re-victimization in Canada.

Created in 1979, the TCRI is a group of about 100 organizations working with refugees, immigrants and people without status. Its mission is to defend the rights and protect the rights of refugees and newcomers in Quebec in their immigration, settlement and integration process in terms of services, assistance, support, critical reflection and solidarity on the territory of Quebec.

Associated Links

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SOURCE Women and Gender Equality Canada

For further information: Contacts, Marie-Pier Baril, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, 613-295-8123; Media Relations, Women and Gender Equality Canada, 1-855-969-9922

Related Links

http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/

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