History of POVC
Prevention of Violence Canada
Prevention of Violence Canada-Prevention de la violence Canada (PVC) was established based on the World Health Organization’s landmark report, World Report on Violence and Health (WHO, 2002). Resolutions by the Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA, 2003) and the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA, 2004) brought interested people together for the first National Town Hall Meeting in Ottawa on September 19, 2005 at the CPHA Conference. With the support of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) a coalition was formed with broad sector representation from public health associations, researchers, educators, practioners, government, nongovernment organizations and interested citizens. A foundational committee was formed with representatives from over thirty organizations and interest areas. The World Health Organization ‘s Preventing violence: A guide to implementing the recommendations of the World report on violence and health (WHO, 2004) provides the framework for developing a national violence prevention strategic action plan for Canada. Two national meetings in 2007 supported by the PHAC provided opportunities to discuss the application of the WHO framework to Canada, the expertise that exists and the potential to be harnessed. Yearly Town Hall Meetings supported by the Canadian Public Health Association, the host Provincial Public Health Association and Prevention of Violence Canada-Prevention de la violence Canada, provide the opportunity to discuss progress, current violence prevention issues and guidance in moving forward.
Prevention of Violence Canada- Prevention de la violence Canada became a member of the World Health Organization Violence Prevention Alliance in July 17, 2007 when the Co-Chairs attended the 3rd Milestones of a Global Campaign for Violence Prevention in Scotland with support of the Public Health Agency of Canada. POVC has been represented at Violence Prevention Alliance Meetings in Washington, DC (2008), Mexico 2008), (2010) and Cape Town South Africa, 2011. Prevention of Violence Canada-Prevention de la violence Canada is also an active member of the working group to develop an Assets Database for all members of the Global Violence Prevention Alliance. Current efforts of PoVC are focused on the development of a violence prevention charter process, strengthening and harnessing national expertise in violence prevention, advocating for a comprehensive United Nations Resolution, developing a policy paper for the Canadian Public Health Association on Violence Prevention, working with the network of Provincial and Territorial Public Health Associations in Canada to establish the WHO recommendations is Canada, updating the family violence section of the Best Practices Portal for the Public Health Agency of Canada and well as undertaking ongoing advocacy in support of local, regional, provincial and federal violence prevention initiatives and healthy public policy.
Towards effective public health strategies to prevent violence in Canada
| 1992 | World Health Organization (WHO) indentifies intentional injury as a health priority |
| 1994 | Canadian Public Health Association’s adopts position paper on violence prevention |
| 1997 | Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) forms Violence Prevention Workgroup |
| 1999 | OPHA adopts position paper on violence prevention |
| 2003 | OPHA position paper is updated inspired by WHO, “World Report on Violence and Health” (2002).Resolutions passed to work with CPHA to develop a national violence prevention strategy, endorse WHO report and World Health Assembly Resolution. |
| 2003 | CPHA adopts resolution. |
| 2004 | WHO publishes Preventing violence: A guide to implementing the recommendations of the World Report on Violence and Health. |
| 2005 | First OPHA/CPHA Town Hall Meeting at CPHA Conference in Ottawa in 2005 WHO Guide to implementation served as the framework. 75 people attended including the Minister of State for Public Health, Honourable Doctor Carolyn Bennett. Foundational Committee started. |
| 2006 | Second Town Hall Meeting at CPHA Conference Vancouver in 2006 55 people attended including the Chief Public Health Officer Dr. David Butler-Jones. More people joined the Foundational Committee. Terms of Reference for Foundational Committee adopted. |
| 2007 | First Face to Face Meeting held in Toronto on February 2007 Representatives attended from all areas of Canada.Six Workgroups were initiated following the proposals of the WHO Guide.
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| 2007 | World Health Organization (WHO) Meeting in Scotland July 17-19, 2007 Co-Chairs, Shannon Turner and Lori Snyder MacGregor attended the WHO’s Third Milestones of a Global Campaign for Violence Prevention and Violence Prevention Alliance Meetings held in Scotland. |
| 2007 | Third Annual Town Hall Meeting CPHA Conference Ottawa. 70 people attended from all areas of Canada. Chief Public Health Officer and Executive Director of National Crime Prevention Centre made presentations. Reports on progress from 6 Workgroups were presented. Discussion of content of a proposal for funding initiated. |
| 2007 | Second Face to Face Meeting of the Steering Committee November 9-10, 2007 The second face to face meeting of the Steering Committee was supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Strategy and content for funding discussed. |
| 2008 | World Health Organization Violence Prevention Alliance Meeting at the WHO 9th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion. Merida, Mexico, March 15 to 19, 2008. |
| 2008 | Fourth Annual Town Hall Meeting CPHA Conference, Halifax. |
| 2008 | Washington, D.C. Violence Prevention Alliance Meeting. |
| 2009 | Fifth Annual Town Hall Meeting, CPHA Conference, Winnipeg. |
| 2009 | Geneva, Switzerland, Violence Prevention Alliance Meeting. |
| 2009 | 4th Milestones Meeting, Geneva, Switzerland. |
| 2010 | VPA June Meeting in Rome, Italy. |
| 2010 | Sixth Annual Town Hall Meeting, CPHA Conference, Toronto |
| 2011 | Seventh Annual Town Hall Meeting, CPHA Conference, Montreal |
| 2011 | WHO Violence Prevention Alliance Meeting- South Africa |
| 2012 | Eighth Annual Town Hall Meeting, CPHA Conference, Edmonton |
| 2013 | Ninth Annual Town Hall Meeting, CPHA Conference, Ottawa |
| 2014 | Tenth Annual Town Hall Meeting, CPHA Conference, Toronto |
| 2014 | Attended PREVNet Networking, Partnerships and Knowledge Exchange Working Group |