9 November 2022 – Today, the federal, provincial, and territorial governments recognized the importance of the issues of gender-based violence (GBV) and violence against women (VAW). We appreciate that some of the recommendations from the GBV sector have been taken into consideration in this joint declaration and framework for action.
However, this document itself is not a National Action Plan (NAP). A NAP, as presented in June 2021 through our ready roadmap – would include concise actions that each province and territory commits to rather than a menu of opportunities for action.
Questions remain about how the federal government intends to steer this in a way that is transparent, allows continuity across provinces and territories, addresses systemic barriers and root causes, is measurable and accountable, and does not result in massive gaps depending on a jurisdiction’s political priorities. It is also unclear how the GBV sector will be involved in providing oversight on the national plan, to ensure that a person’s access to services does not remain dependent on their postal code.
We will be releasing a deeper analysis of this document early next week.
Signed,
Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic
BWSS – Battered Women’s Support Services
Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Women’s Foundation
Luke’s Place
Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan
South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario
Women’s Shelters Canada
These seven organization co-led the 2021 roadmap project with Women’s Shelters Canada.