The federal government will invest close to $16.4 million over four years to support the implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence in the Yukon.

That amount will be cost-matched by the territorial government, it was announced Wednesday.

In a joint statement, the territorial Women and Gender Equity Directorate and Women and Gender Equality Canada called the plan “a historic bilateral agreement.

“The plan reflects our shared commitment to preventing gender-based violence and creating systemic change through community-led solutions,” they said.

The plan is focused on three priority areas:

• increasing prevention efforts;

• reaching underserved and at-risk populations; and

• stabilizing the gender-based violence prevention sector.

The four-year implementation plan includes many new programs that will reach underserved and most at-risk populations, including:

• funding for Yukon not-for-profit women and gender-equity-seeking organizations that currently receive funding through the Women and Gender Equity Directorate and for the transition homes in Whitehorse, Dawson City and Watson Lake to bolster existing programs and develop initiatives to support victims, survivors and their families;

• improving transportation between Yukon communities for victims of gender-based violence;

• criminal or family law navigators to support victims of intimate partner violence of all genders who are navigating both systems;

• a multi-disciplinary response for children and youth who experience or witness gender-based violence;

• culturally integrated justice programs for Therapeutic Court, Integrated Restorative Justice, community-based and First Nations government-led diversion and Therapeutic Court programs that will strengthen the justice system’s response to gender-based violence; and

• culturally relevant programming to address gender-based violence for women in territorial custody.

The plans also include new programs aimed at preventing gender-based violence:

• funding for Yukon not-for-profit women and gender-equity-seeking organizations that currently receive funding through the Women and Gender Equity Directorate to develop prevention initiatives;

• integrated case assessment teams for high-risk intimate partner violence cases; and

• media literacy programming to counteract the effects of harmful misinformation that perpetuates gender-based violence, including against 2SLGBTQIA+ people and racialized groups.

“This investment will support the Government of Yukon in strengthening and building capacity in the gender-based violence prevention sector in the territory,” the release said.

“It will support work with partners to better address the intersectional needs of diverse populations, including those experiencing gender-based violence in rural and remote communities.”

Marci Ien, the federal minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, said “the historic announcement builds on years of federal, provincial and territorial collaboration, working with Indigenous partners, survivors, experts and frontline organizations.

“This bilateral funding will support Yukon organizations working in the gender-based violence sector in adopting community-based and Indigenous-led approaches that meet the evolving needs of those most at risk of or underserved when experiencing gender-based violence and their families,” Ien added.

“This multi-level collaboration is the foundation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, which aims to create safer communities for all who call Yukon their home.”

Jeanie McLean, the minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate, said her government is “thankful for the input from Yukoners and organizations that respond to gender-based violence.

“Their contribution helped us identify funding priorities for the first two years of the agreement. I look forward to working alongside Yukon’s women and gender-equity-seeking organizations to further our shared goals,” McLean added.

“By working together, we can create lasting systemic change to address, prevent, and eliminate gender-based violence in our territory.”

The National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence was released in November 2022.

Nationally, more than 11 million people aged 15 and over have experienced intimate partner violence at least once since the age of 15, data show.

In 2009, it was estimated that intimate partner violence has an economic cost of $7.4 billion annually and sexualized violence, has a cost of $4.8 billion annually.

“Gender-based violence is a significant and complex issue in the Yukon, with rates three to four times higher than the national average,” the release said.

“Over 61 per cent of women and 61 per cent of men in the Yukon have experienced at least one physical or sexualized assault since the age of 15.”

In 2021, the Yukon was among the top three provinces and territories with the highest rates of human trafficking per 100,000 population.

Children and youth, specifically girls, were more likely to be victims of family violence in the territories than in the provinces.

Nunavut reported the highest rate, followed by the Northwest Territories and the Yukon in 2019.

Since 2021, Ottawa has committed $1.14 billion to advance the national action plan, including $539.3 million over five years to support provinces and territories in their efforts to implement the plan.

The action plan was officially endorsed by Canada’s Status of Women ministers on Nov. 9, 2022.