Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres

Published purpose

Through this 40-month project, the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres will increase its ability to prevent and address gender-based violence (GBV) against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people, with a focus on 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals in urban centres in Ontario. This will be achieved by assessing and increasing internal capacity to support Indigenous 2SLGBTQQIA+ community members; developing an inclusive framework to ensure that 2SLGBTQQIA+ roles and responsibilities are restored and honoured; ensuring the development of resources and supporting the delivery of training to members of Friendship Centres across the province on 2SLGBTQQIA+ inclusivity; developing a framework to implement the MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+ National Action Plan across Friendship Centres; and promoting the findings of the project to GBV and Indigenous community agencies and policymakers. The project will prevent and address gender-based violence through the promotion and reclamation of traditional roles and responsibilities of 2SLGBTQQIA+ community members through access to culture and ceremony and to promote a reduction in violence, prevent violence, and begin to address gender-based violence in cases where violence is ongoing. By the end of the project, the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres will have strengthened their capacity to prevent and address GBV against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people, with a focus on 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals in urban centres in Ontario.