Provincial Government Making Significant Strides in Advancing Violence Prevention

February 10, 2025

The Honourable Pam Parsons, Minister Responsible for Women and Gender Equality, today provided a Newfoundland and Labrador update as the Provincial Government reaches the halfway point of its four-year agreement with the Government of Canada on the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence.

This agreement has enabled the province to fund critical initiatives that are:

• Building community support networks, especially at the regional and or municipal levels.
• Supporting survivors, their families, and their communities by increasing awareness, education, and training.
• Investing in leadership development for women and gender-diverse people.
• Engaging men and boys in gender-based violence prevention.
• Building capacity to address the sexual exploitation of youth.
• Providing supports to promote the healing and mental well-being of those impacted by gender-based violence.
• Providing the development of legal information materials for violence survivors that are being translated to include both dialects of Innu-Aimun, Inuktitut, Arabic, Dari, and Ukrainian.
• Fostering collaboration with Indigenous communities and heightening public awareness about the imperative for reconciliation.

By March 31, 2025, over $6 million will have been distributed to community and Indigenous partners throughout the province to expand wrap-around supports and counselling services, encourage primary prevention approaches, and strengthen coordination and social infrastructure, ensuring that impacted individuals and communities have the support they need for their well-being and to foster impactful change. Organizations receiving funding are listed in the backgrounder below.

Gender-based violence can take many forms, including physical, sexual, psychological, emotional and financial abuse, as well as technology-facilitated violence.

In December 2023, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced a bilateral agreement with the Federal Government that is seeing an investment of nearly $13.6 million over four years to support provincially tailored, violence prevention initiatives.

Quotes
“Funding for the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is a crucial investment in the safety and well-being of communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Everyone, regardless of gender, must live free of violence. As we look ahead, we are dedicated to continuing this vital work and building on the momentum we have gained to drive even greater progress in the years to come.”
Honourable Pam Parsons
Minister Responsible for Women and Gender Equality

“Thanks to funding from the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, Thrive has been able to build our provincial capacity to address the sexual exploitation of youth. We know sexual exploitation disproportionately impacts females and gender diverse folks. Youth, parents, and service providers now have access to a variety of tools and resources to combat this crime and reduce victimization. We are pleased to work with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in our pursuit of ending gender-based violence.”
Angela Crockwell
Executive Director, Thrive

“The Harbour Strong Men’s Mental Health Network is a critical step in reducing the incidence and impact of gender-based violence in our communities. Men’s mental health initiatives challenge traditional gender norms and provide men and boys safe spaces to seek emotional support and express their vulnerability. Funding from the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is helping Harbour Strong support the development of healthy relationships, and dynamic conversations about men’s mental health, while addressing some of the root causes of gender-based violence.”
Bill Jeffery
Project Coordinator, Harbour Strong Men’s Mental Health Network

“The Federal Government has a crucial role in ensuring that provinces have the necessary resources to address the ongoing crisis of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples. Without sustained funding, the commitments made in the National Inquiry into the MMIWG2S Calls for Justice remain just words. True reconciliation requires action, and that means investing in culturally safe, community-driven solutions that protect and uplift our people.”
Odelle Pike
Co-chair, Provincial Indigenous Women’s Reconciliation Council

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Learn more
Office of Women and Gender Equality

National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence

2023-2023 Annual Progress report on the National Action Pan to End Gender-Based Violence

BACKGROUNDER

Organization Name	GBV-NAP Amount Awarded in 2023-24
Benoit’s Cove Indian Band Inc	$12,530
Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Eastern Newfoundland	$40,000
Burin Peninsula Voices Against Violence	$45,000
Communities Against Violence	$45,000
Conne River Health and Social Services	$20,300
Corner Brook Status of Women Council	$105,000
Department of Education	$20,000
First Light St. John’s Friendship Centre	$45,000
Gander Status of Women Council	$60,000
Gateway Status of Women Council	$60,000
John Howard Society NL	$52,172.65
Labrador West Status of Women Council	$60,000
Lifewise Mental Health Peer Services	$37,400
Maiwpukek First Nation	$101,317.83
Mokami Status of Women Council	$60,000
Multicultural Women’s Organization NL	$85,000
Mushuau Innu First Nation	$101,317.83
Northern Peninsula Status of Women Council	$60,000
Nunatsiavut Government	$101,317.83
NunatuKavut Community Council	$101,317.83
Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women (c/o St. John’s Status of Women)	$75,000
Planned Parenthood	$30,000
Provincial Indigenous Women’s Reconciliation Council (c/o Newfoundland Aboriginal Women’s Network)	$100,000
Public Legal Information Association of NL	$251,277.75
Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation	$101,317.83
Quadrangle NL	$200,000
Seniors NL	$16,125
Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation	$101,317.83
Status of Women Central	$60,000
St. John’s Status of Women Council	$168,000
Thrive	$141,000
Violence Prevention Avalon East	$45,000
Violence Prevention Labrador	$45,000
Violence Prevention South and Central	$45,000
Newfoundland and Labrador Statistics Agency	$5,778
Total	$2,597,490

Organization Name	GBV-NAP Amount Awarded in 2024-25
Assembly of First Nations (NL)	$20,300
Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Eastern Newfoundland	$38,400
Burin Peninsula Voices Against Violence	$75,000
Canadian Mental Health Association NL	$48,530
Communities Against Violence	$75,000
Corner Brook Status of Women Council	$155,000
Daybreak Parent Child Centre	$50,000
Department of Education	$200,000
Empower NL	$48,328
Fédération des Francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador	$22,409
First Light St. John’s Friendship Centre	$124,775
Gander Status of Women Council	$80,000
Gateway Status of Women Council	$80,000
John Howard Society NL	$45,000
Department of Justice and Public Safety	$100,000
Labrador West Status of Women Council	$80,000
Lifewise Mental Health Peer Services	$65,000
Mokami Status of Women Council	$80,000
Multicultural Women’s Organization NL	$85,000
Mushuau Innu First Nation	$17,500
Newfoundland Indigenous Peoples Alliance	$50,000
Newfoundland and Labrador Statistics Agency	$4,466
Planned Parenthood	$60,000
Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women (c/o St. John’s Status of Women)	$100,000
Provincial Indigenous Women’s Reconciliation Council (c/o Newfoundland Aboriginal Women’s Network)	$150,000
Public Legal Information Association of NL	$200,000
Quadrangle NL	$230,000
Sandwich Bay 50+ Club	$3,853
Seniors NL	$100,000
Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation	$22,750
Status of Women Central	$80,000
Stella’s Circle	$50,000
St. John’s Status of Women Council	$180,000
Thrive	$43,470
Violence Prevention Avalon East	$25,550
Violence Prevention East	$16,250
Violence Prevention South and Central	$75,000
YWCA St. John’s	$50,000
*Funding to other organizations not yet announced	*$600,000
Total	$3,531,581

2025 02 10

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