A $21-million donation from Canada, towards the empowerment of women, is expected to “immensely” aid victims of domestic violence.

Addressing a handover of the funds at the Canadian High Commission in St Andrew on Monday (December 6), Olivia Grange, minister of culture, gender, entertainment and sport, said the gift was made by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) to the Bureau of Gender Affairs (BGA) and seven local organisations to support various community-based projects.

These include gender-based violence (GBV) interventions and the coronavirus (COVID-19) response and will “reduce gender inequality”.

“This project contributes immensely to peace and restoration for several survivors of gender-based violence and women-led community groups,” Grange said, adding that it will also strengthen local government and community governance structures.

The BGA was officially handed $3,075,000, to improve the economic and psychosocial support offered at the country’s national shelters. All the recipient groups, including the BGA will implement activities to address social and economic issues arising from the pandemic for the 2021 to 2022 period.

The other organisations are International Women’s Coffee Alliance, South East Cockpit Country Local Forest Management Committee, Grants Mountain Local Forest Management Committee, Transwave, The Peace Management Initiative, Women of Destiny, and the Northgate Youth and Family Development Foundation.

“The Government remains committed to strengthening civil society as critical stakeholders to Jamaica’s development, providing greater protection for women and girls,” Grange told her audience.

Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica Emina Tudakovic said the programme is geared at “achieving real impact at the community level”, and to share and build “important work that we have been doing” to accelerate action and enhance the “collective important work”.

The event was also used to officially launch and commemorate 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence and the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada.

The Canada Fund supports small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. Projects are selected and approved by the High Commission of Canada in Jamaica.