Two groups will host a community vigil in Yellowknife on Saturday afternoon to recognize and remember people affected by gender-based violence.
To mark National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on December 6, the Yellowknife vigil will include a moment of silence, rose-laying ceremony, a few guest speakers, and refreshments.
The hosts of Saturday’s event are the Status of Women Council of the NWT and YWCA NWT.
The vigil, which is open to everyone to attend, starts at 3pm at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre’s café on the second floor. There will be mental health support available on-site.
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women was started to remember the 14 women murdered at the Polytechnique Montréal on the same day in 1989.
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“Sadly, the epidemic of violence against women and gender-diverse people is real and ever-present within the NWT,” YWCA NWT executive director Hawa Dumbuya-Sesay was quoted as saying.
“Communities continue to be deeply impacted by intimate partner violence, femicide, and the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
“It’s troubling that the NWT has some of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the country. We hope it will not only honour those who have lost their lives but also shed light on the scope and depth of this problem and serve as a call to action.”
Status of Women Council of the NWT executive director Alisa Blake was quoted as saying: “We gather to grieve, to support one another, and to demand the change that is long overdue.
“Violence in all its forms must end and we believe that change is not only possible, but urgently necessary. Together, we can create a future where safety, dignity, and love are realities for everyone.”
