Summit aims to empower Northern youth facing gender-based violence

An upcoming two day gathering in Hay River will focus on empowering youth amid ongoing high rates of gender-based violence in the North.

Organizers say that when youth engage in dialogues and proactive responses to gender-based violence this can help to grow supportive networks and raise awareness.

“Encouraging youth to take part in events like these, create connections among youth in various communities, bring them together and uplift their voices. (This) creates a confidence in them to take action and prevention against gender-based violence, to stop these cycles or even minimise these violences from occurring,” Jennifer Organ, a youth transition worker with Hay River Social Services.

Organ’s work is focussed on helping youth as they transition into adulthood and all the dynamics involved in the process. She said the initiative to organize the gathering began after she was approached by the director of Hay River Health and Social Services. Organ saw it would be a great opportunity for youth and took on a leadership role in organizing the gathering focussed on a key issue in the North.

“It’s based around the topic of gender-based violence. So I’ve coordinated the event with the goal of fostering empowerment, leadership and connection in youth and young adults in the Northwest Territories,” said Organ.

“Gender-based violence is alarmingly prevalent in our nation, all across Canada. We see a lot of gender-based violence against women, girls, and individuals in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, especially. These individuals are more likely to experience violence and abuse. And Indigenous women and girls are the most at risk within this group.”

Organ said that women and girls in Northern communities experienced the highest rates of intimate partner violence in Canada, according to data collected in 2023. The issue goes back decades.

The pattern is also evident in data collected on homicide rates across the country.

“Women and girls in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut experienced the highest rates of gender-based violence homicides in Canada, while also holding the lowest populations in the country,” Organ pointed out.

“It’s incredibly alarming and incredibly important to educate our youth about gender-based violence so they can identify when they see it, take action against it and create preventative measures in their own communities,” she added.

She named the event the “Northern Voices” youth summit with a goal of putting a spotlight on issues affecting youth.

“(We’re) hoping for the youth to speak about their own experiences with gender-based violence, their own knowledge on gender-based violence and also help to uplift their voices in their own communities to take action and prevention against gender-based violence,” said Organ.

“Youth, this new generation, they hold so much power. They can generate so much change through their leadership, and that’s what we’re trying to encourage them to do,” she added.

The gathering will include workshops, presentations, art activities and discussions.

“There will be interactive and skill building workshops, Dene culture integration including dreamcatcher making, drumming and prayer,” said Organ.

The summit will bring youth together with local Elders, Knowledge Keepers, spiritualists and other leaders. Organ said that leadership from the Hay River Health, and Social Services and youth centre will also join in the dialogue.

The gathering is about finding ways to help young people in the North to access support systems.

“Learning about healthy relationships and signs and types of violence and abuse so they can identify when a relationship is unhealthy. We’ll be learning about mental wellness, and their own roles and the awareness prevention and action against gender-based violence,” she said.

The remoteness of the North is compounding the issue of gender based violence.

“I believe that the isolation of the north can be a factor,” said Organ.

Organ pointed out that while services and resources are available in the North, being able to access those services can be a challenge. This can have impacts on health and safety.

While it can be challenging to access the needed resources, Organ said there are supports available through social services.

“There are supports in our schools, we have wellness workers and we have community counselling workers here. We also have myself as a youth transition worker and other youth workers across the territories. There are services such as healthy families program, a family preservation program, which can help youth and individuals within the community to access more services or be of help to them to navigate social support for even just by contacting the RCMP or getting in touch with the RCMP if they’re in need of help or sending referrals to community counselling and things like that,” said Organ.

The Northern Voices Youth Summit is scheduled to take place at the Soaring Eagle Friendship Center on March 21 and 22.
Organ said the summit is open to youth across the territory ages 15 to 25 years of age, who can register up to March 13.

Anyone who would like more information can head to the Hay River Health and social service authority Facebook site or contact organizers at nvyouthsummit2026@gov.nt.ca.
Organ said youth can also contact Hay River’s Social Services office by phone at 867-874-8430