launching landmark report: courage to act
Possibility Seeds Consulting launched its Courage to Act: Developing a National Framework to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence at Post-Secondary Institutions report today at Ryerson University. The report was developed through funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada and identifies recommendations, promising practices, and gaps in preventing and addressing gender-based violence on post-secondary campuses in Canada.
Today, the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality, announced an investment of up to $1.5 million to address gaps in resources to support post-secondary institutions in preventing and addressing gender-based violence on their campuses, as identified in the report. Over the next two years, this investment will contribute to the development of toolkits and resources and the establishment of communities of practice. The funding will also support a web portal which will ensure that the tools that are developed are accessible and adaptable to campuses across the country.
The report was developed in close collaboration with Women and Gender Equality Canada’s Advisory Committee on the Framework to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence at Post-Secondary Institutions, as well as through engagement with over 300 diverse stakeholders across the country, including representatives of student groups, colleges, universities, unions, community organizations, survivor advocates and front-line workers across Canada. It provides a strong starting point for stakeholders to begin taking further action to prevent and address gender-based violence at post-secondary institutions, and identifies key next steps necessary to fully develop a Framework and begin implementation.
We are thrilled that the Government of Canada is committed to engaging with provinces and territories to ensure that the Framework is complementary and supportive of the extensive efforts that have already been made across the country. We thank Minister Monsef, the talented project team, the advisory committee, the WAGE ministry staff.
It will take great courage to act.
The ways in which we act may look different for each of us.
This is the important work that awaits all of us.
Working together, this change is possible.
Let’s start here.