January 20, 2016
In an open letter released today, five national organizations that have been deeply involved in efforts to expose and address violence against Indigenous women and girls call on the federal government to ensure that the forthcoming national inquiry can:
- Focus on the extreme violence faced by Indigenous women and girls and bring it to an end by setting out a clear plan of action for all levels of government
- Expose the systemic factors contributing to and perpetuating this violence
- Ensure the full and effective participation of affected families and communities
- Address the needs of Indigenous women and girls, and provide families the answers they need, across all jurisdictions in Canada
The letter, written by the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA), Amnesty International Canada, KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, and the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF), is addressed to the three federal ministers leading current consultations on the design of the inquiry.
The letter sets out initial recommendations based on the organizations’ past experiences with federal and provincial inquiries, and the concerns and recommendations raised by Indigenous women, families and frontline organizations in recent meetings. Recommendations include:
- Adoption of a human rights framework so that the inquiry’s outcomes will respect and fulfill the rights of Indigenous women and families
- Providing a safe and supportive space in which women and families can tell their stories
- Directly engaging the provinces and territories in the inquiry
- Ensuring that the examination of systemic or policy issues is adequately resourced
- Enabling the independent review of police investigations under the authority of the Commission of Inquiry
Please review the letter:
For more information, contact:
Jenn Jefferys, Communications Officer, Native Women’s Association of Canada
613.722.3033 ext. 235
Shelagh Day, FAFIA
604.872.0750
Dr. Kim Stanton, Legal Director, Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund
416.595.7170 ext 223
Related Events:
January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2016, by invitation, University of Ottawa
Symposium on Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Further details available HERE.
February 6, 2016, Osgoode Hall Law School, by invitation, Toronto ON
Pre-Inquiry Missing Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women Roundtable
LEAF Legal Director Dr. Kim Stanton is an invited speaker at both events. She will address the importance of particular elements of institutional design for the MMIW inquiry.
