Upholding the Sacred: Exercising Inherent and Legislative Powers to End Gender-Based Violence

Background:

In Canada, nearly 8 in 10 victims of police-reported intimate partner violence are women and girls. Indigenous women face a disproportionately higher risk of sexual assault by intimate partners and are more likely to experience severe, life-threatening forms of violence. While federal and provincial Crown governments have made significant progress in enacting legislation to address violence against women, numerous gaps and challenges remain, particularly for Indigenous women.

Community leaders can play an active role in preventing gender- and sex-based violence by exercising their legislative and regulatory powers over local matters to create safer environments. By shifting from reactive enforcement to proactive structural design, tribal governments can dismantle systemic risks. It is time to intensify efforts to eliminate all forms of gender and sex-based violence, to prevent and protect women and girls, to investigate and punish perpetrators, and to provide protection to complainants and survivors of such violence.

Purpose:

The purpose of this one-to-two-day workshop is to elevate standards for preventing gender- and sex-based violence against Indigenous women and girls. Participants will analyze community-level legislative approaches, assess lessons learned, and identify best practices in legal reform. Ultimately, the workshop aims to design a model framework for community-based legislation targeting violence against women.

Expected Outcomes:

This initiative will empower Tribal Governments and their stakeholders to strengthen existing laws and develop new legislative measures. Furthermore, it will establish a benchmark for sharing best practices in strict alignment with OCAP® principles, ensuring data is integrated into Indigenous-owned databases for strategic, targeted use and future reference.

Workshop Objectives:

By the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be equipped to:

1. Identify and close jurisdictional gaps between federal and provincial laws and community safety needs.
2. Draft a model framework for community-based legislation that exercises local regulatory powers to protect women and girls.
3. Structure and mandate Family Violence Advisory Committees and Family Crisis Action Teams with clear operational procedures.
4. Codify alternative, restorative measures that focus on rehabilitation and community cohesion while prioritizing survivor safety.
5. Apply OCAP® principles (optional) to ensure all incident and community data is securely governed and integrated into Indigenous-owned databases.       

Intended Public and Process:

Audience: All levels of Government—Local, Municipal and Tribal Governments. 

Language: This workshop is open to all communities in both English and French. If a community prefers to use an Indigenous or other native language, interpretation or translation services can be arranged.

Duration: 2 Day Work Session—Including breakout and interactive sessions.

Post-Session Consultation: Consultations are optional and at your discretion. 

Financial Overview:

Professional Facilitation Fee: $1,890 CAD per day.

Travel expenses: The ticket price does not include standard business travel, meals, and lodging expenses for the facilitator(s) during preparation and on-site delivery.

Cancellation Timeline and Fees:

30+ Days Notice: Full refund minus a $150 administration fee.

15 to 29 Days Notice: 50% refund, or a 75% credit toward a future workshop.

14 Days or Fewer Notice: Non-refundable. No credits will be issued.