Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 10:53:25 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [KCUTS] Kamloops Women's Centre closes
From: meadow@netidea.com
> Kamloops Women's Resource Centre
> 182B Tranquille Road, Kamloops, BC V2B 3G1
> tel: 250.376.3009 | fax: 250.376.3080
> kwr_centre@telus.net
>
> Media Release
> for release October 31, 2006
>
> Kamloops Women’s Resource Centre closes doors November 1
>
> Society calls on BC Government to provide emergency funding to BC’s
> Women’s Centres
>
> After 27 years of service to women and their families, in Kamloops and the
> surrounding communities, the Kamloops Women’s Resource Centre (KWRC) is
> unable to keep operating any longer. It will officially close its doors on
> November 1, 2006.
>
> While the KWRC previously provided service to nearly 3,000 women and girls
> per year, the BC Government cut of 100% of Women’s Centres’ operating
> funding in March 2004. This funding was small – $47,174 per Women’s Centre
> – but it represented the only source of operating funding available to
> Women’s Centres in BC.
>
> Without operating funding, the KWRC became unable to provide the services
> previously offered to the community, such as support groups, one-to-one
> support, crisis intervention, advocacy, and many other services. Many
> women accessing the KWRC brought issues related not only of gender-based
> violence, but also gender-based poverty, gender discrimination, and other
> Human Rights-related issues. The KWRC, and other Women’s Centres, have
> also played a vital role in advocating for systemic changes that would
> enable a more equal and just society for all BC’s citizens, regardless of
> gender.
>
> This cut, along with many other cuts and policy changes by the BC
> Government, represent a dramatic shift away from equality and justice in
> BC. Even the United Nations has criticized BC for its downgrading of women
> and girls’ equality rights in BC. However, the BC Government has remained
> determined to silence those who would speak up about injustice towards our
> most vulnerable citizens, which has included silencing Women’s Centres.
>
> Many Women’s Centres in BC are in similarly difficult financial
> circumstances and are struggling for survival – a direct fallout of BC
> Government cutbacks. Kitimat and Fort Nelson have already been forced to
> close their Women’s Centres, and Victoria is also scheduled to close.
>
> The Kamloops Women’s Resource Group Society, the mother society of the
> KWRC, calls on the Government of BC to provide emergency funding to all
> Women’s Centres which are in financial crisis, including the KWRC, and to
> restore and enhance funding to Women’s Centres across British Columbia.
>
> Members of the Kamloops Women’s Resource Group Society will be at the KWRC
> at 12:30 on November 1, packing up the Centre’s resources and assets, and
> will be available to speak to members of the media on site.
>
> For More Information, Contact:
>
> Trish Archibald
> 371-5568 (w) or 828-0640 (h)
>
> Jasmin Wright
> 572-1821
>
> Heather Robinson
> 851-6808
--