OTTAWA, August 29, 2019- This morning at Ryerson University, Possibility Seeds Consulting launched its report, Planting Change: Developing a National Framework to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence at Post-Secondary Institutions. The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) supported the development of the report, which was funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada, through active participation on the Advisory Council and several consultations.
A key component of the Government of Canada’s five-year, $5.5 million commitment to develop a framework to address and prevent gender-based violence at post-secondary institutions, the report identifies recommendations, promising practices, and gaps in preventing and addressing gender-based violence on post-secondary campuses.
The Minister of International Development and Women and Gender Equality also announced an investment of up to $1.5 million to develop toolkits, resources, and establish communities of practice to address gaps in resources to support post-secondary campuses. The funding will also support a web portal through which the tools can be accessed by campuses across the country. CASA is pleased to see the Government of Canada’s continued commitment to sexual violence prevention in the post-secondary sector with further investments.
“The report is an important first step in responding to the prevalence of sexual violence on Canadian campuses. We are hopeful that this report, paired with the additional investment, will enable a broader number of students to get involved in prevention and advocacy efforts by supporting communities of practice” explains John Rix, Executive Director of CASA.
CASA strongly believes that all students should have access to a safe and inclusive learning environment that is free of all forms of violence, including sexual violence. While this continued funding is critical, CASA believes that a crucial next step in the project is to work with provincial governments and institutions to create a voluntary standard to increase accountability for the practices outlined in the Framework. The voluntary standard will empower student associations and the public to hold post-secondary institutions accountable.
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For more information on the report, please visit: https://www.couragetoact.ca
About CASA:
Established in 1995, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit, national student organization composed of 23 student associations representing 280,000 post-secondary students from coast to coast. With its partnership with the Quebec Student Union (QSU), CASA represents a total of 360,000 students across Canada and presents a national student voice to the federal government. CASA advocates for a Canadian post-secondary education system that is accessible, affordable, innovative, and of the highest quality.
Contact:
Annie Sherry, Member Relations Officer
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 506-540-1311
