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| Map of Canada courtesy Wikipedia |
Dubravka Šimonović, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women, released her preliminary report detailing her findings about her recent official trip to Canada.
Ms. Šimonović says violence against women in Canada is still a serious, pervasive and systematic problem that requires urgent action.
She says that much work needs to be done to increase shelters for women and children escaping violence. Due to the lack of safe housing – especially in indigenous communities – many women who have experienced domestic violence are forced to return to their homes and the possibility or more violence.
“In a vast country such as Canada, it is crucial to provide sustainable funding for a sufficient number of safe shelters, and housing, including in rural and remote areas, and with an adequate number of such shelters dedicated to indigenous communities taking into account cultural and language diversities,” she said.
The report also touches on the need to gather more data on human trafficking for the purposes of prostitution, as well as the need for new legislation to combat human trafficking.
Ms. Šimonović expressed concern about the overrepresentation of indigenous women in prisons.
Indigenous people comprise 3.8 per cent of the Canadian population but now account for 23.2 per cent of the total inmate population. Indigenous women offenders make up 33 per cent of the total inmate population under federal jurisdiction.
“During the visits I conducted to correctional facilities, I was deeply concerned about their overcrowding,” she said. “In addition, both of the facilities visited have not currently in place any child and mother program."
Because of mental health issues in prison Ms. Šimonović urges the government to give preference to alternatives to imprisonment for prisoners with disabling mental health by utilizing the provision to transfer prisoners to mental health services, facilities or psychiatric hospitals.
Because of mental health issues in prison Ms. Šimonović urges the government to give preference to alternatives to imprisonment for prisoners with disabling mental health by utilizing the provision to transfer prisoners to mental health services, facilities or psychiatric hospitals.
She also called for a ban on solitary confinement and other forms of isolation.
Ms. Šimonović visited Ontario, Québec, Manitoba and Nunavut over a 13 day period and met with federal, provincial and territorial leaders and other stakeholders.
Click here to read the report.