Canada gives $21m to support women empowerment
KINGSTON, Jamaica—The Government of Canada, through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), donated J$21 million to the Bureau of Gender Affairs and seven local organisations to support various community-based projects including Gender-Based Violence (GBV) interventions and the COVID-19 response.
According to a statement from the Canadian government, the funding will go towards supporting interventions that prevent violence against women and girls, help victims and survivors access safe spaces, provide entrepreneurship opportunities, skills building, mental health services, and counselling.
At the official launch and showcase held on Monday, High Commissioner of Canada to Jamaica Emina Tudakovic said “sexual and gender-based violence in all its forms is always unacceptable.”
”Canada remains committed to working to eliminate this violence, support survivors and hold perpetrators to account. We believe that this begins with gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls,” she added.
At the launch, the Bureau of Gender Affairs was officially handed over $3,075,000 to strengthen the economic and psychosocial support offered at National Shelters.
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, received the cheque donation.
“I am very happy to have been involved in today’s launching of the CFLI, the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport (MCGES) remains committed to building on the strong partnership and we are looking forward to seeing the impacts of the project on the ground. More than ever we are also grateful for the funding received to support the Bureau’s work against gender-based violence,” Grange said.
”The ministry remains committed to maintaining this strong relationship between Canada and Jamaica” she added.
The eight project recipients, including the Bureau of Gender Affairs, will implement activities to address social and economic issues arising from the pandemic for the 2021 to 2022 period. The seven local organisations are:
· International Women’s Coffee Alliance
· South East Cockpit Country Local Forest Management Committee
· Grants Mountain Local Forest Management Committee
· Transwave
· The Peace Management Initiative
· Women of Destiny
· Northgate Youth and Family Development Foundation
Northgate Youth and Family Development Foundation and Women of Destiny will implement awareness-building activities for GBV issues through forums targeting the business community, other key stakeholders and communities on the north coast. TransWave Jamaica, through a series of business development workshops and an incubator program, will enable transgender persons to establish businesses while receiving support from a wide coalition of partners through forums and other networking events.
”From the start of the pandemic, the Government of Canada has taken swift measures to support local organisations in providing essential supports and services to women and their families experiencing GBV,” the statement said.
