Ottawa – Gender-based violence has a profound cost to women, gender-diverse people, and communities across Canada. Addressing gender-based violence and removing the systemic barriers impacting women’s progress is a crucial step towards preventing the long-lasting negative health, social and economic consequences.
Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, announced $373,000 for Maama Watali’s project On Solid Ground: Building our Capacity and Sustainability. Maama Watali is a Black-led nonprofit organization that supports Black women and their families as they move forward after experiencing gender-based violence.
A viable women’s movement in Canada is one that includes a diverse range of organizations and perspectives. Some women’s organizations continue to face challenges, particularly those who work with diverse women. Women and Gender Equality Canada provides capacity building funding to organizations, so they are better able support women in the future.
Through this project, Maama Watali will provide training in governance and financial management, develop a community-focused communications and engagement plan, and create a five-year strategic plan to guide the organization’s future. This investment will strengthen the organization’s capacity to advance gender equality through culturally appropriate activities for Black and racialized women who have experienced gender-based violence.
Today’s announcement builds on the progress of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence. The National Action Plan is a strategic framework for addressing GBV that was endorsed by the Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Forum of Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women. The National Action Plan has five pillars that focus on collaborative inter-governmental work supporting victims, survivors, and their families; preventing gender-based violence; ensuring a responsive justice system; implementing Indigenous-led approaches; ensuring a strong social infrastructure and enabling environment to end gender-based violence; and laying a foundation that focuses on data, research, and knowledge mobilization.
“Gender-based violence has far-reaching effects, and the most meaningful change happens through organizations working directly in their communities, like Maama Watali. Their dedication to supporting Black women and families after experiences of violence is truly transformative. This project, On Solid Ground, is about building the tools and resources Maama Watali needs to continue making a real difference—offering culturally specific programs, amplifying voices, and creating lasting pathways to healing and empowerment.” – Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth