The government’s commitments to and funding for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), 2SLGBTQ+ rights and ending gender-based violence (GBV) has been unprecedented. Traditionally on the sidelines, advocates have been consulted and groups that have never previously received public funding have increased their capacity to advocate for and defend their rights.
Federal budget 2021 committed over $600 million over five years towards a National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, including $200 million over two years to build the capacity of organizations that work to support survivors of GBV and $105 million for GBV programming. The government should now deliver the promised ten-year National Action Plan before the end of 2022.
Sexual and reproductive health and rights organizations, including those protecting access to abortion care, will receive $45 million in federal funding over the next three years. The government will also invest $7.6 million over five years in a sexual health survey to address the lack of comprehensive data on sexual and reproductive health indicators.
For the first time in Canadian history, the government is developing a federal LGBTQ2 Action Plan. Since 2019, the government has provided $28.3 million through the LGBTQ2 Community Capacity Fund. Legislation to ban conversion therapy in Canada was adopted in late December.
