Federal Report Fails Indigenous Women and Girls – Idle No More
Idle No More stands with the many individuals, families, groups, and communities working on the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
In concert with the many responses and calls for action issued by Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups and the families of missing and murdered women, Idle No More denounces the Conservative government’s report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Canada, released today. A commitment to a national inquiry and a national action strategy, which have been called for repeatedly, are blatantly absent from the report.
The Native Youth Sexual Health Network, Families of Sisters in Spirit, Walk4Justice, as well as the many groups organizing vigils and marches around the country have been actively working on this issue for many years.
Idle No More recognizes that violence towards Indigenous women is a symptom caused by dispossession, poverty, misogyny, racism and oppression forced upon Indigenous Peoples and a direct result of federal law and policy both historically and contemporarily. Violence towards Indigenous women has been a fundamental aspect of the colonial state that will only increase as resource extraction industries continue to rampage rural and, increasingly, urban communities and nations.
The government’s inaction on this issue is aligned with it’s broader strategy of ongoing erosion and termination of Indigenous rights. The defunding of Sisters in Spirit in 2010, which was creating a database of missing and murdered Indigenous women, is only one such example. This important work has been taken up by No More Silence and other community-based groups, and will continue despite lack of federal support.
Idle No More reiterates the stance that addressing the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous women, including trans and two spirit women, should be an international priority and supports grassroots efforts for an Indigenous defined, designed, and led inquiry.
Idle No More supports working in solidarity with individuals, families and community groups on this issue and will take direction from those who have the experience and knowledge and are best equipped to develop strategies for moving forward.
Other Responses to the Report:
Amnesty International: Parliamentary Committee report fails Aboriginal women and girls and all Canadians
Human Rights Watch: Canada: Parliament Panel Fails Indigenous Women
Indigenous Nationhood Movement: From Outrage to Radical Love
More Information:
Indigenous Nationhood Movement: #ItEndsHere
Native Women’s Association of Canada’s petition calling for a national inquiry
