{"id":11304,"date":"2019-06-03T16:43:08","date_gmt":"2019-06-03T20:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/?p=11304"},"modified":"2021-01-29T14:06:53","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T19:06:53","slug":"leaf-responds-to-final-report-of-the-national-inquiry-into-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-and-girls","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/fr\/news\/leaf-responds-to-final-report-of-the-national-inquiry-into-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-and-girls\/","title":{"rendered":"LEAF responds to Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its final report<\/a>, along with 231 Calls for Justice to protect Indigenous women, end violence against Indigenous women, and promote their substantive equality. LEAF worked tirelessly with its partners to advocate for an Inquiry, was a party with national and regional standing in the Inquiry, and will continue to work to ensure that the Inquiry\u2019s Calls for Justice are implemented.<\/p>\n

LEAF is deeply grateful to the many Indigenous women and families who travelled great distances to share their stories with the Inquiry. We acknowledge the pain and trauma inherent in doing so. LEAF counsel at the Inquiry, Mary Eberts, says, \u201cWe are grateful that you undertook the task of sharing your experiences, to contribute to greater equality for all Indigenous women. We encourage all governments in Canada to respond meaningfully to the Inquiry\u2019s Calls for Justice to ensure their efforts were not in vain.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The report makes critical findings that are consistent with the work of Indigenous feminists and LEAF over the past many decades. It identifies the root factors of Indigenous women\u2019s inequality and violent victimization, including Indigenous women\u2019s social and economic inequality, biased policing, an unfair justice system, and a broken child welfare system. Perhaps most critically, the Inquiry expressly recognizes colonization as a root cause of Indigenous women\u2019s inequality. The Report states: \u00ab\u00a0Colonization has jeopardized Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQQIA people\u2019s rights to culture, health, security, and justice in distinct, though related ways, when compared to the experiences of Indigenous men and boys.\u00a0\u00bb[1]<\/a><\/p>\n

It is high time to recognize that colonialism and racism have particular, gendered harms that deny Indigenous women equality.\u00a0 Addressing the harms of colonization is essential to improving the condition of Indigenous women and tackling the crisis of murder and violence committed against them. As LEAF has argued in cases such as Gehl v AG Ontario<\/em><\/a>,<\/em> \u201c[t]he disadvantaged position of Indigenous women in Canadian society is the result of complex social and legislative forces tied to colonization, racism and misogyny, including the Indian Act<\/em> itself.\u201d[2]<\/a><\/p>\n

LEAF long advocated for an Inquiry, with the goal of bringing to light these significant social realities and calling on all governments to respond. The report includes many important Calls for Justice, and LEAF now urges that they be implemented. In particular:<\/p>\n