NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE AND ACTION ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Released on December 5, 2003

December 6th is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Established by Parliament in 1991, the day commemorates 14 female engineering students murdered at Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique in 1989.

"On this day, it is important not only to mourn the deaths of these young women, but to take time to think about women who live daily under the threat of violence, who have died through acts of violence, and who have survived violent situations," Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Deb Higgins said. "It is also a time to consider what each of us can do to ensure an end to violence against women."

The Government of Saskatchewan has identified initiatives in the "Action Plan for Saskatchewan Women" that include:
• Increased monitoring to ensure violence and harassment-free workplaces
• Developing new resource materials and providing training on the prevention of sexual harassment and other forms of harassment
• Exploring ways to improve legal services and information needs of women
• Developing a Northern Justice Strategy to promote dialogue about the needs of victims of violence and offenders
• Supporting the implementation of a national sex offender registry to detect repeat sex offenders.

"It will take each of us working together – communities, families and individuals – to address issues of violence against women," Higgins said. "All society benefits when we work to end violence."

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For More Information, Contact:

Corinne Bokitch Labour Regina Phone: (306)787-7423 Email: cbokitch@lab.gov.sk.ca