Ottawa, April 29, 2025 – Following the federal election, Women’s Shelters Canada is calling on Prime Minister Carney and his government to prioritize gender justice and make lasting commitments to end gender-based violence.

“We are at a critical moment in the fight for women’s rights,” said Anuradha Dugal, Executive Director, at Women’s Shelters Canada. “The women of this country made their voices heard. Now it’s time for the government to show it is listening – and to act decisively to put gender justice at the heart of its agenda.”

Women’s Shelters Canada is urging the new government to establish a dedicated Minister for Women and Gender Equality at the cabinet table – a critical role to ensure women’s rights, safety, and well-being remain at the forefront of policy discussions and decision-making. This vital work cannot be carried out under a larger, unrelated ministry. With gender-based violence and femicide on the rise, and the federal government having recognized gender-based violence as an epidemic in 2023, our new government must now act on this recognition by strengthening its response.  The introduction of the National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence was an important step, but it must be much better resourced and regularly measured to ensure it truly meets the scale of the crisis.

The Liberal platform made critical commitments that, if fully implemented, could be transformative. These include protecting and permanently funding sexual and reproductive health services, strengthening protections for victims of intimate partner violence, advancing the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence and moving forward with the implementation of Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. We also welcome promises to invest in deeply affordable housing and supportive shelters, recognizing the undeniable link between housing, safety, and health outcomes.

“We look forward to working with Prime Minister Carney’s government to turn these promises into action and to deliver the future Canadians voted for: a country where feminist policies drive progress, and where gender equity and a strong social infrastructure are recognized as drivers of economic prosperity,” said Dugal.

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