Sisters in spirit
Closing : January 13, 2006
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by Wenona Gardner
I am the heart of my family,
I am the center of my community
I carry the nation on my back
I carry the life of tomorrow in my soul.
I rise above the violence.
Bones heal. Bruises fade. My fear I face.
The rage I channel to protect myself.
To protect my children.
I walk away from the destruction
with my Great Creator by my side.
I am the one who can change the tide.
I am the one who will say STOP!
No more forever.
For I am the Woman of the Dawn.
I rise with the morning sun.
Blazing with light, love, and hope.
I hold the future within me.
Our newsletter for the spring 2006 is online, read it here (pdf)
New report on aboriginal shelters to read on the publications section.
Eliminate Family Violence
The establishment of the NACAFV is in the spirit of Aboriginal people taking responsibility and ownership for addressing the issues surrounding family violence. The NACAFV can serve many stakeholders by acting as a national clearinghouse for on-the-ground information, develop standards, training programs and provide a project monitoring around Aboriginal family violence.
Aboriginal family violence service providers and other experts from across the country recognize the need for a coordinated approach to Aboriginal family violence services. Secure funding and supportive partnerships can be coordinated on a national level to enhance capacities for communities to deliver effective, culturally appropriate services with long-term healing from the effects of family violence the goal.
NACAFV as an organization has its basis in a consultative process that respects and recognizes Aboriginal knowledge as necessary for the effective provision of family violence intervention and prevention to Aboriginal peoples.
Aboriginal Women on the Move, Cycling to End Family Violence
Please visit their site and see how you can make a difference!
AboriginalWomenOnTheMove.org
We thank our current federal sponsors, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Status of Women Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for their support of our organization this year.
"To reduce family violence in our Aboriginal communities."
Mandate:
- Initiate, design and deliver culturally appropriate programs and services to address family violence, and to support shelters and family violence prevention centres.
- Provide necessary support to service providers for networking and capacity building.
- Determine the needs of First Nations communities with respect to family violence.
- Conduct research and share best practices, resources as it relates to family violence in order to promote good program management.
- Advocate with governments to illustrate the depth of the issue and promote partnerships with First Nations, non-government organizations, federal, provincial and territorial governments.
- Bridge gaps between non-government organizations and federal, provincial and territorial governments.
- Participate in and conduct a national review of the Family Violence Prevention Program, and draft recommendations on the future direction needed.
- Promote public awareness of family violence.
- Establish an IT database which will support needs analysis, information management, and accountability programs.
The organization has emerged from a series of grassroots-level consultations with Aboriginal family violence service providers. The first formal meeting was in 1999 at the University of Manitoba, which resulted in a recommendation for the establishment of a nationally representative body that would
- collect information
- advocate and
- provide resources and training support for those working in the areas of aboriginal family violence, prevention, intervention and longer-term care.
A provincial steering committee met the following year to define a framework for the organization.
By spring 2002, the organization was staffed, incorporated and conducted a national consultation to share best practices and challenges. The report on the first operational year and other consultations are available free of charge.
WHY A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION?
Aboriginal family violence service providers and other experts from across the country recognize the need for a coordinated approach to Aboriginal family violence services. Secure funding and supportive partnerships can best be coordinated on a national level.
This coordination enhances the capacities of communities to deliver effective, culturally appropriate services with long-term healing from the effects of family violence as the goal.
No national figures are available, but services for Aboriginal people impacted by violence are under-resourced and under-funded compared to non-Aboriginal specific counterparts, despite a much higher rate of violence in Aboriginal communities.
We intend to work with communities to gather information on family violence that will strengthen the case for better supported Aboriginal-specific programs and facilities.
HOW DOES THE NACAFV WORK?
The establishment of the NACAFV is in the spirit of Aboriginal people taking responsibility and ownership for addressing the issues surrounding family violence. The NACAFV can serve as:
- a national clearinghouse for on-the-ground information;
- an advocate for developing standards, and training programs, and,
- A source of support for isolated service providers.
Current Board
Click on the 'view bio' link to read the biography of the board member.
| Brenda Combs View Bio Nimkii Naabkawagan Family Crisis Shelter c/o 236 Frontenac Street Sault Ste. Marie , ON P6A 5K9 Tel: (705) 941-9054 Fax: (705) 941-9055 E-Mail: bcombs.nimkii@shaw.ca |
Chair |
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| Sheila Swasson View Bio Haven House P.O. Box 99 Listiguj , QC Tel:(418) 788-5544 Fax:(418) 788-2687 E-Mail: havenhouse@globetrotter.net |
Co-Chair |
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| Patricia Jurivee Beendigen Inc. Thunder Bay , ON Phone: 807-622-1121 Fax: 807-622-2240 Email: patricia@beendigen.com |
Secretary-Treasurer |
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| Natalie McBride Gignoo Transition House Inc. Phone: (506) 458-1236 Fax: (506) 459-2547 Email: gignoo@nbnet.nb.ca |
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| Napatchie McRae Baffin Regional Agvvik Society P.O Box 237 Iqualuit, Nunavut Phone: (867) 979-4500 Fax: (867) 979-0328 E-Mail: agvvik@northwestel.net |
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| Verna McGregor National Coordinator 301-396 Cooper Street Ottawa, Ont, K2P 2H7 Phone: (613) 236-1844 Fax: (613) 236-8057 E-Mail: vmcgregor@nacafv.ca |
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- Attend culturally appropriate training and professional development opportunities
- Use our website as a vehicle for outreach and promotion
- Contribute success stories and concerns to our quarterly newsletter
- Have a voice at the national level for increased commitment and support from federal partners to address Aboriginal family violence, and
- Gather strength as a circle, and know that you are not alone in your work.
Our main long-term objective is to be a strong, unified voice that advocates for partnerships and sustained government support of effective Aboriginal approaches to addressing family violence in our communities.
To become a member, please download and complete the form below.
Read the Press Release in .pdf
"Women in an Insecure World" from The Geneva Center for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces in Switzerland :: Report in pdf file (1.5 MB)
Links to International Sites:
