Harper Government Taking Action to End Violence against Women

OTTAWA, Feb. 28, 2013 /CNW/ - The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, today announced the theme for International Women's Week: Working Together: Engaging Men to End Violence against Women.

"The Harper Government is taking concrete action to eliminate violence against women and girls," said Minister Ambrose. "Our Government will continue to work with communities across Canada to improve safety and security, and to support important projects that work to end violence across the country."

The Harper Government is committed to supporting projects that yield concrete results for women and girls in Canada, while strengthening families and communities.

International Women's Week (IWW) takes place this year from March 3 to 9, with International Women's Day (IWD) on March 8. For further information on IWW and IWD, please visit the Status of Women Canada web site at http://www.iwd.gc.ca.

BACKGROUNDER:
HARPER GOVERNMENT ACTION TO ADDRESS
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS

The Harper Government is committed to ending violence against women, and has taken strong action to increase the safety and security of women and girls. The Government's actions include the following measures:

• passing the Safe Streets and Communities Act in March 2012, to improve the safety of all Canadians, particularly the most vulnerable members of society, such as women and children;
• substantive changes to the Criminal Code of Canada to increase the safety of women and children;
• increasing support for victims of crime;
• eliminating the option of house arrest for those who have committed serious crimes, including sexual assault; and no longer considering pardons for such offences;
• introducing tougher sentences for child sexual predators;
• toughening penalties for the trafficking, production and importation of date rape drugs through the Increasing Offenders' Accountability for Victims Act
• investing in shelters on-reserve; and
• launching the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking.

In addition, the Harper Government has supported a wide variety of projects to address violence against women and girls in Canada since 2006.

ADDRESSING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS: RECENT CALLS FOR PROPOSALS

The Harper Government is addressing violence against women in all its forms, including issuing calls for proposals to community-based organizations for projects that target this issue. Here are some examples of calls for proposals that were issued over the last two years:

• Working Together: Engaging Communities to End Violence Against Women and Girls
  

In 2012, the Harper Government launched a call for proposals under the theme Working Together: Engaging Communities to End Violence against Women and Girls. The goal is to solicit applications for the funding of projects that will prevent and reduce violence against women and girls in Canada.

The projects under this call must deal with four areas:

• preventing and reducing violence against women and girls in high-risk neighbourhoods;
• engaging men and boys in ending violence against women and girls;
• preventing and reducing violence committed in the name of so-called "honour;" and
• through community planning, preventing and reducing the trafficking of women and girls.

Applications are currently under evaluation and successful projects will soon be announced.

• Women Living in Rural and Remote Communities and Small Urban Centres

In 2011, the Government of Canada launched a call for proposals under the theme Women Living in Rural and Remote Communities and Small Urban Centres. Funded projects reduce violence and promote economic prosperity for women and girls living in rural and remote communities and small urban centres.

• Engaging Young People to Prevent Violence against Women on Post-Secondary Campuses

In 2011, Status of Women Canada launched a call for proposals under the theme Engaging Young People to Prevent Violence against Women on Post-Secondary Campuses. Projects being funded address the safety of women and girls on campuses.

SOURCE: Status of Women Canada