2015-01PU MISSING AND MURDERED ABORIGINAL WOMEN
Whereas 1 in 2012 the National Council of Women of Canada urged the Government of Canada to investigate and resolve unsolved cases of missing and murdered Aboriginal women, bring perpetrators to justice and address systemic violence that affects aboriginal communities; and
Whereas 2 Aboriginal women and girls continue to be disproportionately victims of violence according to Statistics Canada in relationship to their non-Aboriginal counterparts; and
Whereas 3 Human Rights Watch Canada reports higher numbers than Statistics Canada because there is no current comprehensive date collection process and no precedent exists for the standardized collection of ethnicity data by police forces in Canada; and
Whereas 4 families; and
Whereas 5 homelessness and inadequate shelter are widespread problems facing Aboriginal the majority of Aboriginal people face dramatically lower incomes and a shortage of, and inadequately funded, culturally appropriate support services; and
Whereas 6 the most frequent motive in homicides of Aboriginal women was “argument or quarrel” followed by “frustration, anger or despair”; and
Whereas 7 the link between racial discrimination and violence against Aboriginal women has not yet been adequately acknowledged or addressed; therefore be it
Resolved 1 that the National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) adopt as policy that all cases of missing and murdered Aboriginal women be investigated effectively and immediately, and that the systemic violence against Aboriginal women be eliminated; and be it further
Resolved 2 that NCWC urge the Government of Canada to immediately address the issue of missing and murdered Aboriginal women, including a national enquiry, and to work with the provinces, territories and with Aboriginal governments to fund and to implement programs that do the following:
a. enhance efforts on unresolved cases
b. increase public awareness, including programs that address racism
c. strengthen and improve data collection including DNA analysis of unidentified bodies
d. include gender based analysis of all legislation and programs related to missing and murdered Aboriginal women
e. focus on prevention efforts, specifically addressing the following:
i. providing safe, secure, affordable housing
ii. eliminating poverty
iii. increasing access to services for Aboriginal women
iv. restoring funding to Aboriginal women’s groups
v. providing basic quality education within Aboriginal communities
vi. supporting community capacity building
vii. providing antiviolence programs
PLAIN LANGUAGE FORMAT
Policy Statement
The National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) will adopt as policy that all cases of missing and murdered Aboriginal women be investigated effectively and immediately, and that the systemic violence against Aboriginal women be eliminated.
Request of Government
NCWC urges the Government of Canada to immediately address the issue of missing and murdered Aboriginal women including a national enquiry and to work with the provinces and territories, and with Aboriginal governments to fund and implement programs that do the following:
a. enhance efforts on unresolved cases
b. increase public awareness, including programs that address racism
c. strengthen and improve data collection including DNA analysis of unidentified bodies
d. include gender based analysis of all legislation and programs related to missing and murdered Aboriginal women
e. focus on prevention efforts, specifically addressing the following:
i. providing safe, secure, affordable housing
ii. eliminating poverty
iii. increasing access to services for Aboriginal women
iv. restoring funding to Aboriginal women’s groups
v. providing basic quality education within Aboriginal communities
vi. supporting community capacity building
vii. providing antiviolence programs
Rationale
In 2012 the National Council of Women of Canada urged the Government of Canada to investigate and resolve unsolved cases of missing and murdered Aboriginal women, bring perpetrators to justice and address systemic violence that affects aboriginal communities.
Aboriginal women and girls continue to be disproportionately victims of violence according the Statistics Canada in relationship to their non-Aboriginal counterparts. Human Rights Watch Canada reports higher numbers of missing and murdered Aboriginal women than Statistics Canada because there is no current comprehensive data collection process and no precedent exists for the standardized collection of ethnicity data by police forces in Canada.
Homelessness and inadequate shelter are widespread problems facing Aboriginal families.
The majority of indigenous people face dramatically lower incomes and a shortage of, and inadequately funded, culturally appropriate support services.
The most frequent motive in homicides of Aboriginal women was “argument or quarrel” followed by “frustration, anger or despair.” The link between racial discrimination and violence against Aboriginal women has not yet been adequately acknowledged or addressed.