Chronology of actions to end gender-based violence

The 2021 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual Plus (2SLGBTQQIA+) People National Action Plan: Ending Violence Against Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People (the 2021 National Action Plan) was released on June 3, 2021. The 2021 National Action Plan responds to the many demands to end violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. It is an overarching framework which connects the work of the National Family and Survivors Circle and the Contributing Partners, the federal government, as well as provinces and territories, recognizing their different approaches and priorities.

The Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People is the Government of Canada's contribution to the 2021 National Action Plan, called for by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. It outlines the Government of Canada's approach to ending violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.

Gender equality, supporting women and gender equality is a key element in the 2021 Budget: A Recovery Plan for Jobs, Growth, and Resilience. The Budget will invest $601 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to advance the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, including enhancing the capacity of gender-based violence organizations; supports to crisis hotlines; strengthening the GBV Program; addressing root causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people; establishing a Secretariat; and increasing GBV data collection. Related investments such as the response to the tragedy of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls bring the total of investments in responding to GBV to over $3 billion over five years.

Announced on January 22, 2021, the Joint Declaration for a Canada free of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) was endorsed by the Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Ministers responsible for the Status of Women during their 38th Conference.

This declaration is a historic milestone in the response to GBV and the advancement of gender equality for people across Canada. This federal, provincial and territorial collaboration represents an important step in developing a National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence in Canada.

As part of the COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, the Government of Canada is supporting women and children experiencing violence during COVID-19, through Women and Gender Equality Canada, by providing $100 million in emergency funding for organizations providing supports and services to those experiencing GBV. This includes taking critical measures and making new investments to support shelters and transition housing that provide a safe space for women experiencing violence and their families, and to ensure anyone facing GBV has a safe place to turn.

In 2019, as part of Canada’s commitment to the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, the Public Health Agency of Canada launched Canada's Road Map to End Violence Against Children. The Road Map supports the Government of Canada's continued efforts to eliminate GBV and child maltreatment. The Road Map describes the Government of Canada's strong foundation and progress in preventing and addressing violence against children, while also identifying opportunities for further action.

The final report, “Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls”, was released on June 3, 2019.The Final Report sought to understand the violence against Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual people and capture the historic and present systemic causes of this violence.

In a Statement released on the same day as the Final Report, the Prime Minister said that the Government of Canada will develop and implement a National Action Plan to address violence against Indigenous women, girls, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and Two-Spirit people. The Government of Canada will turn the Inquiry’s Calls for Justice into real, meaningful, Indigenous-led action.

Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2019-2022, led by Canadian Heritage was launched following 2018-2019 engagement sessions with Canadians across the country. This whole-of-government strategy aims to build a more inclusive and equitable country while working towards eliminating racism and discrimination, and is guided by three overarching principles: demonstrating federal leadership; empowering communities; and building awareness and changing attitudes.

Related link: 

• What we heard — Informing Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy

In 2019, the Government of Canada launched the five-year National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (2019-2024) led by Public Safety Canada, in partnership with federal departments and agencies. This National Strategy puts in place a whole-of-government approach to prevent and counter human trafficking domestically and internationally.

Related link:

• Trafficking in persons in Canada, 2018 (Statistics Canada)

Introduced in the federal Budget 2018, Women and Gender Equality Canada’s Gender Results Framework represents the Government of Canada’s vision for gender equality. Under this framework, the federal government has identified six key areas where change is required to advance gender equality:

1. Education and skills development
2. Economic participation and prosperity
3. Leadership and democratic participation
4. Gender-based violence and access to justice
5. Poverty reduction, health and well-being
6. Gender equality around the world

Related link:

• Gender, diversity and inclusion statistics (Statistics Canada)

On December 11, 2018, the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence launched the National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence, led by Public Safety Canada. The National Strategy explains radicalization to violence and the destructive and harmful behaviours involved, and outlines the Government of Canada's approach and key priorities.

The Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences visited Canada from 13 -23 April, 2018. In the Visit to Canada: Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, the Special Rapporteur examines the gaps and challenges in fulfilling the obligations of the State to eliminate violence against women, its causes and consequences, and recommends measures for preventing and combating violence against women in the country.

A Canadian media report (The Globe and Mail, February 2017) revealed that approximately 37,000 sexual assault cases (in 2016) were deemed unfounded in areas under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)’s jurisdiction. In response, the RCMP created the Sexual Assault Review Team to undertake an extensive review of these cases – findings are published in the report The way forward: The RCMP’s sexual assault review and victim support action plan.

In November 2017, the Government of Canada launched the second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2017-2022, building upon the first plan that existed from 2011-2016. Led by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by six federal departments and one agency, the Action Plan is the Government of Canada’s specific commitment to advance the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

Related link:

• Canada's Action Plan for the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security - 2010-2016

In November 2017, the Government responded to the National Inquiry’s interim report with $50M of investments for: health and support services to survivors and their families; a National Investigative Standards and Practices Unit; a review of police policies and practices; and a Women and Gender Equality Canada-led $10M Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Commemoration Fund to honour the lives and legacies of Indigenous women, girls, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and Two-Spirit people.

In September 2016, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was launched by the Government of Canada as a key government initiative to end the disproportionally high levels of violence faced by Indigenous women and girls.  The launch of the inquiry responded to the Call to Action (#41) embedded in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Report of Indian Residential Schools (Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future, 2015) (PDF).

The World Health’s Organization’s Global Plan of Action offers a set of practical actions that Member States may take to strengthen health system and intersectoral actions to prevent and respond to interpersonal violence in general, against women and girls, and against children, in particular. By endorsing the Global Plan of Action, Canada has committed to advance its goals domestically, in addition to supporting international efforts.

Operation HONOUR is the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) mission to ensure that sexual misconduct is never minimized, ignored or excused. Operation HONOUR was initiated in 2015 by the Chief of the Defence Staff, following an external, independent review of CAF policies and programs to combat sexual misconduct and protect those affected by it.

Related links:

• The Path to Dignity and Respect: The Canadian Armed Forces Strategy to Address Sexual Misconduct (Department of National Defence)
• External Review into Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment in the Canadian Armed Forces (2015) (Department of National Defence)
• Sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces Regular Force, 2018 (Statistics Canada)
• Sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces Primary Reserve, 2018 (Statistics Canada)

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. It is comprised of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that encompass the social, economic, and environmental challenges of today.  Goal 5 is on gender equality and Goal 16 is on peaceful societies.

The overall Government of Canada progress on its SDG commitments can be further tracked through Statistics Canada’s Sustainable Development Goals Data Hub.

Related link:

• Towards Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy

Announced in 2014, the five-year Action Plan to Address Family Violence and Violent Crime Against Aboriginal Women and Girls focussed on a three-fold commitment to prevent violence, support Indigenous victims, and protect Indigenous women and girls. The Action Plan was led by Women and Gender Equality Canada with the support of other federal departments.  The Action Plan was followed by the milestone launch of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2016).

Related links:

• Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women: Invisible Women: A Call to Action (2014) (House of Commons Canada)
• National Roundtable on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2015) (Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat)
• Statistics on Indigenous peoples (Statistics Canada)

The Government of Canada's National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking (2012-2016), consolidated the federal government's efforts to combat human trafficking and introduced new initiatives to prevent human trafficking, identify victims, protect the most vulnerable, and prosecute perpetrators.

The National Action Plan ended in 2016, and in 2019, Public Safety launched the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking 2019-2024.

Related links:

• Trafficking in persons in Canada, 2018 (Statistics Canada)
• Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (United Nations, Office on Drugs and Crime) (ratified by Canada in 2002)

The Federal Victims Strategy was created in 2007 and made permanent in 2011. It is implemented by the Policy Centre for Victim Issues, Department of Justice Canada, and brings together federal efforts to give victims of crime a more effective voice in the criminal justice system.

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007. It describes the individual and collective rights of Indigenous Peoples relating to issues such as culture, identity, religion, language, health, education and community.  In 2016, Canada fully endorsed the Declaration.

Related link:

Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada

On 13 December 2006, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution that established the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This international human rights treaty aims at protecting the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities without discrimination and on an equal basis with issues pertaining to gender equality and GBV. Canada ratified it in 2010.

Related link:

• Canada’s reports to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was adopted by the United National General Assembly in 1979, and ratified by Canada in 1981.

Related links:

• The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
• Canada’s Human Rights Commitments