Annual Report 2013 - 2014 Table of Contents Mandate of Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council ...................................... 3 Objectives of Council ..................................................................................... 3 Priorities ....................................................................................................... 3 Council members ........................................................................................... 4 Council staff .................................................................................................. 4 Message from the President ........................................................................... 4 Council Activities ........................................................................................... 5 Collaboration and Partnerships ...................................................................... 7 Financial Statements ............................................................................... 9 - 18 QNSWC Annual Report and Audit 2013-2014 2/18 Mandate of Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council was established under the Status of Women Council Act of Nunavut on April 1, 1999. The Council’s role is to advance the goal of equal participation of women in society and promote changes in social, legal and economic structures to that end. Objectives of Council The objectives of the Council are to: Ø Develop public awareness of issues affecting the status of women; Ø Promote changes in attitudes within the community in order that women may enjoy equality of opportunity; Ø Encourage discussion and expression of opinion by residents of Nunavut on issues affecting the status of women; Ø Advise the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women on issues that the Minister may refer to the Council for consideration; Ø Review policies and legislation affecting women and to report its findings to the relevant government departments or agencies; Ø Provide assistance to the Minister in promoting changes to ensure the attainment of equality of women; and Ø Support organizations and groups whose objectives promote the equality of women. Priorities Ø Leadership: To foster and celebrate leadership by women in Nunavut. Ø Justice: To promote public awareness of women’s rights within family law and to support women’s access to information regarding their rights according to law. Ø Violence Prevention: To work with our partners to prevent all forms of violence against women. Ø Culture: To promote and appreciate the unique cultural traditions of all women present in Nunavut. Ø Homelessness: To advocate for the development of housing within Nunavut to ensure a safe place to nurture strong Nunavut families. Ø Poverty Reduction: To support women in Nunavut to end poverty. Ø Health: To support women accessing their unique health care needs and support in navigating the health care system. Ø Education: To support women’s education, to foster self-reliance. Ø Business Development: To support women’s interests and independence through development of their entrepreneurial skills. QNSWC Annual Report and Audit 2013-2014 3/18 Council members Name Role Community Term (as of March 2014) Charlotte Borg President Iqaluit Feb 24/14 – Mar 31/17 (2nd term) Corinne DaBreo Member Rankin Inlet Jul 11/12 – Jul 10/14 (1st term) Mavis Elias-Adjun V-President Kugluktuk Aug 1/13 – Jul 31/16 (1st term) Ayowna Emiktowt Member Coral Harbour Jul 11/12 – Jul 10/14 (1st term) Susie Evyagotailak Member Kugluktuk Aug 1/13 – July 31/15 (1st term) Jeannie Iqaluq Member Sanikiluaq Mar 1/14 – Mar 31/15 (1st term) Mary Kayasark Member Kugaaruk Aug 4/13 – Jul 31/14 (2nd term) Rosie Kopalie Member Iqaluit Jul 11/12 – Jul 10/14 (1st term) Jean Simailak Member Baker Lake Aug 1/13 – Mar 31/16 (2nd term) Council staff Beth Beattie, Executive Director Message from the President I am pleased to present the 2014 Annual Report of the Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council (QNSWC). We not only began the year in newly relocated and renovated premises at 987B in Iqaluit, but we also launched a number of new and promising initiatives that went beyond successfully achieving the mandate requirements of QNSWC as laid out in our contribution agreement with the Government of Nunavut and that advanced our work in QNSWC’s identified priority areas. QNSWC launched the Qulliit Leadership Bursaries to support young women’s access to leadership development programs like Encounters With Canada. We joined the United Nations UNiTE to End Violence Against Women campaign and held awareness raising Orange Day Walks in Baker Lake and in Iqaluit. We established our annual International Women’s Day food and music fair as well as our annual Women of Nunavut photo competition and exhibition. In addition, aiming for improved and more universal representation, QNSWC resolved to decentralize the location of its annual face-to-face meeting from its traditional venue of Iqaluit to communities in the three different regions of Nunavut. As part of this initiative, this year’s face-to-face council meeting was held in Baker Lake where we met with community members and hosted a feast of caribou and char for the community. Another noteworthy initiative was our co-hosting of a two day workshop on Trauma-Informed Practice in March. 2013-14 was a year of increased and improved partnerships and collaboration. QNSWC continued working as an active participant in the Coalition of Provincial and Territorial Advisory Councils on the Status of Women; this included writing and signing letters to the Prime Minister, the Official Leader of the Opposition and the Federal Minister of the Status of Women calling for an inquiry into Canada’s missing and murdered Aboriginal women. QNSWC continued to collaborate with a variety of national, territorial, regional and community-level organizations and on a number of working groups and committees to make progress on issues that matter most to Nunavut’s women; these include poverty, homelessness, housing, feeding our families, accessibility, law, violence prevention, victim services, business development, culture and leadership. Through our work with invested partners, QNSWC continued to advance our work to address social issues, support and advocate for meaningful change in the lives of women, and to celebrate our progress. QNSWC Annual Report and Audit 2013-2014 4/18 Council would like to acknowledge the Honourable Monica Ell, formerly the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Council and the Honourable Jeannie Ugyuk, currently the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women for their support on behalf of Nunavut’s women. We would also like to thank Minister Ugyuk’s staff, namely Sherry McNeil-Mulak, Sandy Teiman, Peter Dudding, Jeannie Bishop and David Kolot for their steadfast support. We also must recognise the dedication, thoroughness, and unfailing dependability of our Executive Director, Beth Beattie. It is truly an understatement to state that without Beth none of the initiatives and achievements of the last year would have been possible. Respectfully submitted, Charlotte Borg President Council Activities Face-to-Face Meeting, August 2013, Baker Lake: Council members met for their annual face-to-face meeting in Baker Lake from August 30 – Sept 2, 2013. This was the first year where the Council held their annual face-to- face meeting outside Iqaluit. The Council met and discussed the annual report, revisions to the by-laws, budget, priorities and events for 2013-14. The meeting included the first Orange Day ‘Walk With Us’ campaign to end violence against women and girls. The Council concluded their meeting with the Orange Day Walk and a community feast. Orange Day, Walk With Us: In August the Council members participated in the first Orange Day ‘Walk With Us’ campaign to end violence against women and girls, in Baker Lake, August 31st during their annual face-to-face meeting. Orange Day was established by the United Nations with the aim to spark worldwide interest in the fact that violence against women and girls is a violation of human rights. December 6 Vigil: Qulliit partnered with YWCA Aggvik Society, Qikiqtani Inuit Association and Alianait Arts Festival to organize and hold a memorial on the National Day of Remembrance in QNSWC Annual Report and Audit 2013-2014 5/18 honour of women and girls lost to violent deaths. One ceremony was held in Baker Lake and another in Iqaluit at Inuksuk School, in Inuktitut, French and English. The memorial started with a candle-lit Orange Walk followed by a program that included speeches from the organizing partners, the laying of red roses by the audience in memory of lost family and friends, music and song, the presentation of Angel Wings to Qimaavik and of the Jennifer Naglingniq Award by CBC, and a moment of silence to remember those lost to violence. Counsellors were available to support those in need and life kits were made available to the public. The all-girls Inuksuk Drum Dancers laid down arctic cotton to symbolize hope and mark the need for change and for a safe future for women and girls. Over 150 people participated in a ceremony followed by the sharing of bannock and hot chocolate. March 8, International Women’s Day: To celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, Qulliit hosted a Nunavut-wide photo competition, Click to Celebrate Our Strength. Over 60 photos were entered in the competition and 40 were exhibited at the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum, March 8 to April 6, 2013. The photos celebrated