Ontario Tech University has earned an official designation as a Moose Hide Campaign Ambassador Campus in recognition of the university’s commitment to creating awareness of gender-based violence and addressing it in the campus community and beyond. The Canada-wide program aims to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, promote cultural sensitivity and healthier masculinities, and speak out about gender-based and domestic violence. Ontario Tech’s participation in the Moose Hide Campaign has engaged approximately 1,000 people through campus events, in-person awareness booths, and webinars.
The university encourages the campus community to order and wear the Moose Hide pin, which sparks conversations about the campaign. With over 600 pins ordered to date, Ontario Tech has contributed to an estimated 3,000 conversations. The Moose Hide Campaign’s National Campaign Day for 2023 is on Thursday, May 11, and Ontario Tech invites everyone to join them in recognizing the impact of gender-based violence and taking action to show their commitment.
The Moose Hide Campaign was launched in 2011 and supports the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Half of all women in Canada have experienced at least one incident of violence since the age of 16, and the percentage is much higher for Indigenous women. To learn more about the campaign’s origin story and impact across Canada, you can watch Ontario Tech’s 2022 Moose Hide Campaign webinar and read reports connected to the Moose Hide Campaign. If you need support, you can book an appointment with the Indigenous Cultural Advisor at Ontario Tech by emailing indigenous@ontariotechu.ca.
“We’ve been fortunate to count Ontario Tech University as an active partner of the Moose Hide Campaign since 2021. Through a range of impactful programs and events, the institution has demonstrated a deep commitment to creating safer and more equitable campus communities,” said Omar Karim, National Director, Post-Secondary Engagement and Initiatives, Moose Hide Campaign. “As we prepare to recognize Ontario Tech University as an official Ambassador Campus Partner, we’re grateful for their unwavering support and shared dedication to ending violence against women and children.”