Liard Aboriginal Women's Society Receives Up to $1 Million to Combat Gender-Based Violence

Friday, 17 May 2019 16:02

The Liard Aboriginal Women's Society operates in Watson Lake (Photo courtesy of Yukon Info)

The Liard Aboriginal Women's Society has received up to one million dollars from the Canadian government to help Indigenous women combat gender-based violence in their community.

Liard Aboriginal Women's Society Executive Director Anne Maje Raider says the funding of up to one million dollars that they're receiving from the Canadian government will help to create more sustainable programming for Kaska First Nations women in British Columbia and the Yukon.

Raider says the five-year funding will help educate and inform more First Nations women to combat gender-based violence in their community near Watson Lake.

"Part of the training will occur from the Centre of Response-Based Practice with Dr. Allan Wade. Dr. Wade will be coming in with another doctor who will be rotating once a month for eight months this fall over the winter through to the spring. They will be offering training to help create more understanding around interpersonal violence. It's huge. I think we need to shift how we think about violence against Indigenous women."

Raider says the program will incorporate local First Nation values and culture as well as help to combat gender-based violence against Indigenous women.

"What's really important about part of this training is for our youth to understand our traditional Kaska values, teachings and culture. We will have Elders as a part of the program. We're starting the training off with a retreat in July at Francis Lake with the Elders, facilitators and evaluators."

Raider says on top of the hard by the society to secure the long-term funding, she says First Nations women being vocal across the country also has helped bring more attention to the issue.

"I think it's due to the hard work of Indigenous women across Canada. They've been pushing on the front of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. A lot of First Nations have been very vocal. This national inquiry has also brought attention to the whole issue of violence against Indigenous women and girls. So, that has helped us. If it wasn't for that work, I don't believe we would've been able to secure something as long term."

The Liard Aboriginal Women's Society is a non-profit community based Indigenous organization that was established in the Yukon in 1998.