About YWC
The member organizations of the Yukon Women's Coalition bring broad perspectives and community-based knowledge
We work collaboratively with all levels of government, the RCMP, and other community organizations to promote an improved understanding of the issues and obstacles Yukon women are facing, including:
Gender-Based Violence
Systemic Racism
Housing and Food Insecurity
Barriers to Accessing Services
Our Coalition
Our Values
Transparency
Accountability
Trust
Inspiration
Risk-Taking
Herstory
Timeline
Key events in the formation and evolution of the Coalition
Herstory
Our Beginnings
The sexual assault of a nurse in Watson Lake, the death of an Indigenous man in RCMP care in Whitehorse, and serious gaps in services for Yukon sexual and domestic assault victims in the late 2000's, were all catalysts for the mobilization of women's organisations and the purposeful creation of the Yukon Women's Coalition.
The publication of these 3 Yukon reports were pivotal to our early work and formation:
Yukon Women's organizations established the Women's Coalition in 2011 as a mechanism to work together in response to the recommendations in the "Sharing Common Ground Final Report – Review of the Yukon's Police Force".
The original purpose of the Coalition was to ensure the continued representation of the concerns and priorities of Yukon women and women's organizations, including First Nations women, in the Sharing Common Ground implementation process.
Following the Sharing Common Ground implementation process, and in response to a recommendation in the Police Commission report, Yukon women's advocacy groups worked together with RCMP to create the Together for Justice, Protocol in Watson Lake and Together For Safety Protocol in Whitehorse.
The focus of the Coalition's work has diversified greatly beyond policing, justice and systemic gender-based violence issues that were the catalyst to our formation in 2011. Informed by the emerging needs and realities of Yukon women and girls, the Coalition now collaborates for systems change in many areas beyond policing and justice.
Intersectionality
Standing in Solidarity with All Women
As a coalition, we recognize the intersectionality that is needed when addressing issues in our field. We use the word "women" to designate anyone who identifies as a woman, including non-binary, two-spirit, trans and cis women. We leave it to each member organization to delineate their membership and service users. We encourage building healthier concepts of both femininity and masculinity and encourage programming to support men and boys in this joint journey towards gender justice.
We recognize the greater extent of systemic harms lived by Indigenous women, racialized women, immigrant women and those with disabilities. We stand in solidarity with all who face gender-based violence and believe in striving for holistic, system-wide approaches to eliminating harm.
For more information and resources visit our Glossary Page.
Acknowledgements
Our Funders
The Yukon Women's Coalition is funded through the Woman and Gender Equity Directorate of Yukon Government and Women and Gender Equality Canada. This funding allows us to meet at least four times per year, and engage in strategic and concerted efforts to end gender-based violence. It also enables us to stay trained and supported as Yukon Women's Coalition members.
The creation of this website, including the purchase of artwork and photography, was made possible with funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada.
The artwork on the left, entitled 'Earth Clan', is by Leah Day, while local artist Robin Steudel provided the majority of photography throughout this site.
