Gender-based violence affects people in all communities and from all backgrounds. It can be physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, financial, or online, and includes violence committed by a spouse or intimate partner. It is pervasive and a complex social issue rooted in patriarchal political, social, and economic systems. Although gender-based violence does affect men and boys, women, girls are disproportionately targeted, and the perpetrators are most often men. The BC Society of Transition Houses (BCSTH) is a member-based organization that, through leadership, education, support and collaboration, enhances the continuum of services and strategies to respond to, prevent and end violence against all women, children and youth. BCSTH in its work uses an intersectional feminist framework to engage in GBA Plus analyses, taking into consideration other social structures and power relations that impact women’s lives. BCSTH provides training, support and resources to 135 member programs that operate Transition, Second Stage Houses and Long Term Housing, Safe Homes and the PEACE programs for women, children and youth experiencing violence. BCSTH member programs are located in urban, rural and remote communities throughout BC and serve all women, children and youth experiencing, or at risk of, violence. By adopting an intersectional framework, BCSTH acknowledges that women from marginalized communities often face compounded barriers to safety, housing, transportation, financial security and justice. Amy will describe how the work of the BC Society of Transition Houses reflects the intersectional needs of diverse BC populations, such as access to culturally safe housing, women centred housing, emergency preparedness, access to justice and financial independence. BCSTH has developed a wide variety of projects and best practices to support members to advance equality for all women ensuring that systemic inequities that disproportionately impact the most vulnerable are addressed and that survivors and their dependents survive and thrive and lead safe, meaningful, productive lives.

This session will explore how gender and other intersecting factors—such as race, age, and disability—impact people’s experiences and influence the development of inclusive policies, programs, and initiatives. It will provide practical examples and strategies for tailoring services to meet individuals’ diverse needs while overcoming implementation challenges.

Using GBA Plus to assess the impact of infrastructure projects, programs, and policies on diverse populations.

• Help ensure funded programs address the diverse needs of people living in Canada, including marginalized and vulnerable populations.
• Integrating GBA Plus throughout the lifecycle of projects.
• Integrating GBA Plus into performance measurement and reporting processes to assess how programs impact various populations.
• Gathering disaggregated data to assess how projects impact various groups and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Identify and mitigate potential negative impacts of infrastructure decisions on specific groups.

Mental health and psychological safety at work are heavily influenced by sex and gender. Recognizing this can help organizations build their capacity to support employees’ mental health in the workplace. This presentation will discuss “Mental Health in the Workplace: A SGBA+ Informed Toolkit” that was developed in partnership with knowledge users in a Canadian government department. It contains resource sheets on specific topics on mental health and psychological well-being with explicit considerations for men, women and people with diverse gender identities. The topics covered include:

• Sex and gender-based analysis (SGBA) and workplace mental health.
• Workplace stress and mental health.
• Work-life balance.
• Workplace discrimination, diversity and bias.
• Harassment and bullying.
• Stigma, disclosure and help-seeking.

• How climate change exacerbates health inequalities, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups.
• Why an intersectional lens is required to understand unique vulnerabilities of women due to social roles, caregiving responsibilities, and inequitable access to resources.
• Importance of Indigenous knowledge systems.
• The need to co-develop solutions that respect cultural practices.
• The need for tools like GBA Plus to ensure equity.
• The need to involve marginalized groups in designing and implementing climate resilience strategies.

• The value of applying Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) in support of Indigenous women entrepreneurs.
• Ensuring policies and initiatives address their unique experiences.
• Advocating for sustainable business models that maintain Indigenous control.
• Exploring innovative structures like dual-share models to balance equity with autonomy.