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Recommendation 1:
Prioritizing affordable housing is essential for poverty reduction and economic security of women experiencing violence.
This community needs assessment and review of the academic and grey literature clearly shows that women experiencing violence face many challenges to securing affordable housing, with the most foundational barrier being unaffordability of housing and chronic poverty. Women experiencing violence need to find housing that is actually affordable (no more than 30% of her income) so that they are able to avoid a cycle of poverty.
We recommend that all levels of government commit to building adequate and affordable housing that fits the needs of women and their children experiencing violence.
This community needs assessment and review of the academic and grey literature clearly shows that women experiencing violence face many challenges to securing affordable housing, with the most foundational barrier being unaffordability of housing and chronic poverty. Women experiencing violence need to find housing that is actually affordable (no more than 30% of her income) so that they are able to avoid a cycle of poverty.
We recommend that all levels of government commit to building adequate and affordable housing that fits the needs of women and their children experiencing violence.
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Recommendation 3:
Partnerships are vital to reducing barriers for women experiencing violence.
Many of the barriers that women face in finding affordable long term housing can be reduced through partnerships across sectors and awareness building about the impacts of violence against women. While affordability and availability of housing are major barriers for people impacted by increasing unaffordability in BC, women experiencing violence face additional specific barriers due to their circumstances. We can see that barriers such as a lack of references, access to childcare or understanding their housing options are obstacles that can be better solved with partnerships.
We recommend that this project continues to build partnerships between transition houses, government, and the housing sector to help address and work towards improving these types of barriers.
Many of the barriers that women face in finding affordable long term housing can be reduced through partnerships across sectors and awareness building about the impacts of violence against women. While affordability and availability of housing are major barriers for people impacted by increasing unaffordability in BC, women experiencing violence face additional specific barriers due to their circumstances. We can see that barriers such as a lack of references, access to childcare or understanding their housing options are obstacles that can be better solved with partnerships.
We recommend that this project continues to build partnerships between transition houses, government, and the housing sector to help address and work towards improving these types of barriers.
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Recommendation 2:
Increase the supply of dedicated legal information and advocacy services
An increased supply of dedicated legal advocates and community service providers in regions of the province with high concentrations of migrant workers would address the issue of inadequate availability of pro bono legal information and services.
Data collected from the focus groups indicates a strong need for a network of trained service providers who understand the specific situation of migrant workers according to the regulations of the low-wage streams of the TFWP, and the unique ways in which immigration law intersects with their employment in the province.
Legal advocates, under the supervision of a Supervising Lawyer, would provide direct legal advocacy services in the areas of law that are identified as priority needs (immigration, employment, and housing) and not otherwise offered by other legal advocates in the region to avoid service duplication. Supervision by lawyers would ensure accountability for services provided.
Legal advocates would work in a coordinated way with community service providers, who are already working to provide assistance to migrant workers and whose capacity to conduct outreach and provide legal information and referrals to legal services is enhanced through training by lawyers, which can include lawyers who work for non-profit organizations, such as Migrant Workers Centre or Community Legal Assistance Society, or supervising lawyers in the region.
Community service providers would receive training on how to identify legal issues; find accurate legal information online; use the dedicated website; when and how to make referrals to legal advocates and other services; and how to distribute and help workers to understand legal information materials.
To the greatest extent possible, legal advocates would be multilingual and provide services in migrant workers’ first language. The placement of multilingual law students to work with legal advocates through co-ops or other programs for course credit could also play an important role in increasing access to justice for migrant workers.
An increased supply of dedicated legal advocates and community service providers in regions of the province with high concentrations of migrant workers would address the issue of inadequate availability of pro bono legal information and services.
Data collected from the focus groups indicates a strong need for a network of trained service providers who understand the specific situation of migrant workers according to the regulations of the low-wage streams of the TFWP, and the unique ways in which immigration law intersects with their employment in the province.
Legal advocates, under the supervision of a Supervising Lawyer, would provide direct legal advocacy services in the areas of law that are identified as priority needs (immigration, employment, and housing) and not otherwise offered by other legal advocates in the region to avoid service duplication. Supervision by lawyers would ensure accountability for services provided.
Legal advocates would work in a coordinated way with community service providers, who are already working to provide assistance to migrant workers and whose capacity to conduct outreach and provide legal information and referrals to legal services is enhanced through training by lawyers, which can include lawyers who work for non-profit organizations, such as Migrant Workers Centre or Community Legal Assistance Society, or supervising lawyers in the region.
Community service providers would receive training on how to identify legal issues; find accurate legal information online; use the dedicated website; when and how to make referrals to legal advocates and other services; and how to distribute and help workers to understand legal information materials.
To the greatest extent possible, legal advocates would be multilingual and provide services in migrant workers’ first language. The placement of multilingual law students to work with legal advocates through co-ops or other programs for course credit could also play an important role in increasing access to justice for migrant workers.
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Recommendation 7:
In addressing Recommendation 6, recognize five key points from “Why Intangible Heritage Matters” (Nicholas 2014):
- Heritage protection and management remain focused on the tangible;
- However, no object or place has meaning without the intangible values ascribed;
- For Indigenous peoples, the tangible and intangible are often indivisible, which has substantial implications for heritage protection;
- A double standard exists regarding how Indigenous intangible heritage, including Traditional Knowledge, and Western Science are valued or treated.
- Efforts to decolonize heritage research and to implement such developments as the UNDRIP will continue to fail if intangible heritage is ignored.
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Recommendation 20:
Hire Indigenous People experienced in Indigenous cultural heritage to foster new ways of thinking within government and to develop common understandings between government and Indigenous communities.
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Recommendation 9:
Harmonize statutory and operational relations between provincial agencies such as the Archaeology Branch and Heritage Branch of the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. This requires better communication and strengthened relations between provincial agencies dealing with Indigenous cultural heritage, including the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation as a key facilitator of relations.
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Recommendation 8:
Harmonize statutory and operational relations between provincial agencies such as the Archaeology and Heritage Branches of the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resources and Rural Development. This requires better communication and strengthened relations between provincial agencies dealing with ICH, including the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation as a key facilitator of relations.
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Recommendation 10:
Harmonize relations, approaches, legislation, policies, and funding opportunities between Canada and British Columbia to support Indigenous Peoples in managing their cultural heritage to establish more cohesive, holistic, and integrated approach.
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Recommendation 14:
Formalize initiatives to inventory Indigenous cultural heritage facing imminent threats related to climate change (e.g., heritage at risk of damage or destruction due to flooding, erosion, fires, temperature change), and develop response plans. Conduct research about how Indigenous Peoples coped with significant environmental changes in the past, and how this might help Indigenous communities and their neighbours plan climate change responses today.
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Recommendation 3:
Establish jurisdiction and statutory decision-making authority over ICH by Indigenous peoples. This requires decentralizing power and developing or activating mechanisms for extending authority to Indigenous peoples. Shared decision-making processes and relations should be established in support of Indigenous peoples’ management of their own cultural heritage. B.C.’s current Bill C-41 / Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) provides a mechanism for developing such legal mechanisms, processes and relationships. Provincial legislation needs to be amended to include UNDRIP, as is being planned for currently by British Columbia and the First Nations Leadership Council via an Action Plan. ICH management should be included as a priority item in B.C.’s DRIPA action plan.
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