Elizabeth Fry Society of Calgary, Alberta

Published purpose

Through this 41-month project, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Calgary will conduct research that will help improve GBV services for Indigenous women. It will identify and address the intricate systems that influence inequality and increase susceptibility to GBV for Indigenous women who also experience or are at risk of criminalization. In addition, this project will study the systemic consequences of GBV that emerge because of existing structural, physical, and socio-cultural barriers that heighten the vulnerability of Indigenous women to negative outcomes such as homelessness, poverty, and criminalization. To do so, this project will employ an Indigenous research methodology, receive the guidance of Knowledge Holders and Elders through regular discussions and meetings, and create Advisory Circles of women with lived experience, which will guide and inform recommendations for the restructuring and decolonizing of supports and services for Indigenous women. The Elizabeth Fry Society of Calgary will also hold a community photo exhibit, coordinate a community validation ceremony and community sharing circles, to share findings, as well as compile an in-depth final written report, which will be shared through presentations, conversations, and a publication. With the supplemental funds and extension provided in early 2026, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Calgary, Alberta will review their ethics approval, engage with community and stakeholders to refine their knowledge to obtain guidance for the development of a construct of a Safety APP for Indigenous women experiencing gender-based violence and produce a final report with their recommendations. Through this, they will further advance Gender Equality.