We must do more to end violence against young women: NDP

Following a report from the Committee on the Status of Women on violence against young women and girls, NDP Status of Women critic Sheila Malcolmson (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) tabled a supplementary report urging the federal Liberals to immediately implement a National Action Plan.

“The absence of a National Action Plan in the Committee’s final report is disheartening,” said Malcolmson. “Young women in Canada face an out-of-touch legal system, fragmented and often inaccessible services, as well as inconsistent or non-existent policies in their schools and work places. We need action not just more studies.”

The NDP supplementary report notes that women and girls continue to face high levels of violence in Canada, at the same time as front line organizations have been suffering for decades from the lack of appropriate operating funding, leading to reductions in services and access to shelters and rape crisis centres.

“Lack of long-term, predictable funding is one of the biggest problems faced by organizations helping women end abuse,” said Malcolmson. “After a year and a half in power, the Trudeau government’s feminist rhetoric has resulted in very few actionable items.”

A National Action Plan, which is a United Nations commitment, would include a coordinated response from all levels of government to ensure equality in accessing services across the country and national standards within administrative policies, the legal, policing and education systems. Additionally it would require the federal government to provide consistent operational funding for front-line community organizations working to protect victims and end violence against women.