Montreal – To help support women and children experiencing domestic and family violence, Rio Tinto is donating C$360,000 to 12 women’s shelters and local organizations across Canada.
The contribution will allow these organizations to continue providing a variety of support services to women and their families, including safe shelters, education and training, counselling, workshops and activities for kids.
The organizations are located in communities where Rio Tinto operates across British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories and Quebec, and five of the groups are focussed on working with Indigenous women and their children.
Montreal Women’s Y Foundation executive director, Isabelle Lajeunesse, said, “Rio Tinto’s support comes at a critical time to ensure we can continue to fulfil our mission to support the Montreal YWCA in building a better future for girls, women and their families. The current health crisis has disrupted our self-financing activities, at a time when the demand for our services from women experiencing violence has significantly increased.”
Rio Tinto country head for Canada Alf Barrios said, “On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we are showing our support for women experiencing domestic and family abuse and for the dedicated professionals who help protect and empower them. Now more than ever, we must come together to end gender-based violence and make our communities safer for all.”
The organisations Rio Tinto is supporting are:
- Centre d’hébergement Tipinuaikan, Uashat mak Mani-utenam, Quebec
- Centre féminin du Saguenay, Saguenay, Quebec
- Centre le Volet des Femmes, Aguanish, Quebec
- Elizabeth Fry Society, Burns Lake, British Columbia
- Hope Haven, Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador
- La Passerelle, Alma, Quebec
- Maison des femmes de Sept-Îles, Sept-Îles, Quebec
- Maison La Source, Sorel-Tracy, Quebec
- Native Women’s Association of the NWT, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
- Puakuteu Comité de femmes de Mashteuiatsh, Mashteuiatsh, Quebec
- Tamitik Status of Women, Kitimat, British Columbia
- YWCA Montreal, Montreal, Quebec
