Indigenous women in Canada today are seven times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be murdered, and three times more likely to be violently or sexually assaulted.
It took the federal Liberal government two years to come up with an action plan based on the 231 Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Tired of waiting, the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) released its own action plan, based on the advice of grassroots Indigenous women and gender-diverse people, of survivors, families of victims, and elders.
“Our Calls, Our Actions” opens by saying, “There can be no more playing around the edges of this genocide. The next steps must be concrete, actionable, costed, and quickly put into effect. . . . We cannot impose an action plan upon governments or other parties. But we can create a plan that we can carry out ourselves, with the support and partnerships of community.”
Steelworkers can be allies, by lobbying politicians to support this action plan, created and led by Indigenous women and gender-diverse people. And through our local unions and other union bodies, we can offer political and financial support to community-based projects related to culture, language, health, public awareness, and more. Learn more by reading the full report, below.
To mark October 4, join NWAC’s live-streamed virtual vigil at www.facebook.com/NWAC.AFAC. Visit their Sisters in Spirit web page for other ways to show your support.
You may also be able to take part in a vigil in your home community. Check with local women’s shelters or Indigenous people’s organizations, or google “2021 sisters in spirit vigil near me” or “2021 mmiwg vigil near me”.
In solidarity,
Ken Neumann
National Director
Resources:
Image created by Lauren Polchies
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