Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, commented on the province's actions plan. This photo is from his response to the report on the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, in Vancouver, on Monday June 3, 2019.
Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
December 10, 2023 - 4:00 PM
The provincial government has announced its three year plan for the safety and support of survivors of gender-based violence.
"We are working together to end isolation, stigma and apathy when it comes to gender-based violence, and make sure survivors can access the care and supports they need," Kelli Paddon, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity said in a press release.
"With this action plan, we are lifting up Indigenous-led approaches, breaking cycles of violence and working with communities to strengthen safety and supports for survivors," she said.
Safe and Supported: B.C.'s Gender-Based Violence Action Plan is getting $61.9 million from the federal government to “help reduce critical wait lists, build capacity for community-based services, and address gaps for underserved communities,” according to a press release from the Ministry of Finance Gender Equity Office.
The action plan includes $1.2 billion over 10 years to create safe spaces and housing for women and children leaving violence; expanded cell service to make travel safer; 75 new sexual assault programs, including five sexual assault centres; new 24/7 crisis lines; new policing standards; and stronger victim supports and other programming supported by more than $60 million from the provincial government each year for gender-based violence supports and services.
The Ministry of Finance, “recognizes that gender-based violence is highly pervasive. Indigenous women and girls, and other racialized people, newcomers and 2SLGBTQIA+ people are especially affected by violence, as well as those living in poverty, in rural and remote communities, and those living with disabilities.”
The plan has been developed in consultation with the Gender-Based Violence Action Plan Advisory Committee with help from Indigenous leaders, community members, service providers, advocates, and survivors and their families.
The ministry says the provincial plan works in conjunction with the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president, Union of BC Indian Chiefs says this plan is a step in the right direction.
"For far too long, governments and people in positions of power have turned a blind eye to gender-based violence, particularly when committed against Indigenous Peoples. The release of B.C.'s Safe and Supported Action Plan signals hope that the depravity of such violence will no longer be ignored, tolerated or relegated as 'women's work' for women's organizations and advocates to solve,” Phillip said in the release.
“I challenge this government to continue their work to uphold the rights of survivors, families and First Nations, to apply a gender-based analysis plus a trauma-informed and culturally safe approach to service provision, to collaborate between ministries and all levels of government to ensure this is a priority, and to act boldly to implement the National Inquiry's Calls to Justice to end the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit people,” he said.
Read the full plan here.
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