Canada is marking its fifth gender equality week. Gender Equality Week takes place every year in September. This year, the theme is United for Gender Equality: Stronger Together. It aims to increase awareness of unique identities & to promote inclusivity of all individuals in the nation, irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, education level, racial background, etc. 

All government departments in Canada are meant to apply for GBA, i.e., Gender-Based Analysis Plus, to new & existing programs & policies, both internally & externally. This implies that they must be examined for how diverse groups of people will experience them, thus identifying the inequalities. 

The Canadian government says that gender equality can only be achieved when people of every gender are equal in every sphere & can accomplish their full potential in society. 

This also applies to newcomers in Canada. IRCC devotes significant funding & resources to programs that support gender-diverse people, women, & 2SLGBTQ+ community of newcomers. 

Gender Equality Week: Settlement Programs For Women & Gender-Diverse Newcomers 

IRCC partners with more than 400 settlement institutions/ organizations, specifically for newcomer/ immigrant women. These organizations work to make newcomer women aware of their options if they are in an abusive situation & empower them to become financially & socially independent. 

For instance, in January 2023, IRCC declared that it would allocate around $5.8 million in support for ten projects under the Racialized Women Newcomers Pilot Program. The program is designed to help racialized newcomer women develop the skills they need to find a job in Canada & navigate their daily life in a new nation. 

In addition, to facilitate more women entering the labor force in Canada, the Canadian government is working to make childcare affordable & accessible with an end goal of $10 per day child care across Canada by 2026. 

It asserts that the Early Learning, as well as Child Care Infrastructure Fund, will support childcare spaces for underserved communities, including rural & remote areas, high-cost & low-income urban neighborhoods, & communities that face barriers to access, like racialized groups & newcomers/ immigrants. 

Moreover, Canada partners with settlement organizations for gender equality week, like Rainbow Railroad, to help 2SLGBTQI+ refugee immigrants & their families settle & thrive after they arrive in Canada. 

Gender-Based Violence & Newcomers 

Eliminating gender-based violence in Canada is seen as a significant component of creating equality. The Canadian Women’s Foundation asserts that immigrant women might be more vulnerable to domestic violence because of economic dependence, language barriers, & a lack of knowledge about community resources. It also says newcomers traumatized by war or oppressive governments are less likely to report sexual/ physical violence to authorities. 

This is specifically true if an abusive partner sponsors a woman because many believe they will be deported if they leave their sponsors. 

Well, it is true, as previously, some sponsored spouses of Canadian citizens as well as permanent residents had to reside with their sponsors to keep the PR status. However, such a situation no longer exists. Moreover, getting & maintaining permanent resident status no longer depends upon living with a sponsor. Any immigrant/ newcomer experiencing gender-based violence can leave their sponsor & might be eligible for a TRP. 

Eligibility requirements for a TRP include: 

  • Applicants in the family class/ spouse or common-law partner in Canada class who have either already left their sponsor because of abuse or not yet left their sponsor because of the fear of losing their immigrant status. 
  • Those who cannot be assessed for PR because their sponsors have withdrawn their family class or SCLPC class sponsorship application. 
  • Anyone who has been misled & made to believe by an abusive spouse that their SCLPC/ family class PR application has been submitted & is in the process when the application hasn’t even been submitted. 
  • Temporary residents intending to apply for PR via a genuine relationship which has become abusive but who might not yet have an application in process. 

With a TRP, IRCC asserts that you might get coverage for trauma counseling & healthcare benefits. In addition, you might also apply for a fee-exempt work permit.