August 9, 2023 | Vancouver, British Columbia | Health Canada
Everyone, regardless of their sexual or gender identity, has the right to be their authentic self, which includes access to the care they need to lead a happy and healthy life. This is particularly true for Indigenous and racialized populations and 2SLGBTQI+ communities, as the barriers they face are exacerbated by prior experiences of discrimination in Canada’s healthcare system, as well as a lack of culturally safe, relevant, equitable and stigma-free healthcare services.
Today the Honorable Secretary of Health Mark Holland announced that the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Fund is providing more than $4.3 million in grants to projects funded by British Columbia’s Provincial Health Services Authority (Indigenous Health), the National Council of Indigenous Midwives, through the Canadian Association of Midwives, the Native Women’s Association of Canada and Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak.
These projects will help develop culturally safe and inclusive educational materials to increase access to essential SRH services and reduce barriers in serving Indigenous and marginalized communities in Canada. This announcement reflects the Government of Canada’s belief that everyone has the right to access the secure SRH services they need, anytime, anywhere.
These projects are funded through Health Canada’s SRH Fund, established in the 2021 budget with an initial investment of $45 million, to improve access to SRH care for people in Canada who face the greatest barriers to access, with an additional investment of $36 million budget 2023.
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