The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) systematically documented the violence experienced by Indigenous women and girls, describing the situation as a genocide against Indigenous peoples. The government’s response to the Inquiry has been insufficient for many of the advocates, women and families who testified. The government has committed to launching a National Action Plan to end violence against Indigenous women and girls by June 2020, and launched a commemoration fund of $13 million for over 100 commemoration events to honour the lives and legacies of MMIWG. While these are important steps, they fall short of addressing the root causes of the violence.
Indigenous women now account for 42% of Canada’s female prison population, the highest rate to date. Canada should urgently respond to this crisis and ensure that incarcerated Indigenous women can access culturally-appropriate programming, services and community supports. Horrific cases of Indigenous women in Canada allegedly being forced or coerced into sterilization need to be investigated to expose the full extent of these harms, with compensation for survivors and changes to the Criminal Code to prevent such abuse.
