OTTAWA, Ontario – June 4, 2024 — Yesterday, the Government of Canada released its Federal Pathways Report, detailing progress in response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and its 231 Calls for Justice. We call on all levels of government to continue the implementation of the National Inuit Action Plan.
As Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada celebrates its 40th anniversary, we continue to amplify the voices of Inuit women, girls, and gender-diverse Inuit, and acknowledge the commitments made, particularly the increased investments in housing, shelters, and transitional homes. These investments are crucial in addressing the housing crisis faced by Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people. Despite progress through the Violence Prevention Strategy, and the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative, there is an urgent need for more widespread support, as the lack of housing directly impacts their health, well-being, and safety.
The pace of change has been slow, and the promises made through the National Action Plan and the ratification of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) have yet to fully materialize into tangible improvements. Pauktuutit has long advocated for the centrality of Inuit women, girls, and gender-diverse Inuit voices in these discussions. Since the National Inquiry concluded and the release of its Final Report, Inuit women, girls, and gender-diverse Inuit continue to go missing and are murdered. The rates of MMIWG remain unchanged, and we lack specific data on how this crisis affects Inuit women, girls, and gender-diverse Inuit.
We call on Canada to support Pauktuutit’s instrumental work in gender-based research and invest substantially in data gathering to continually address fundamental gender gaps in housing, health, food security, and draw on data links between MMIWG, intimate partner violence, and police misconduct. Further, we urge the examination of important intersections between child welfare involvement, the role of incarceration, and the impact of specific policies over time.
The Government of Canada must accelerate all its efforts now. Ending systemic violence against Indigenous peoples requires more than government action—it demands an all-of-society approach. Inuit voices must be heard, and our lived experiences must inform any actions.
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Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada Is the national non-profit organization representing all Inuit women in Canada. Our mission is to foster a greater awareness of the needs of Inuit women and to encourage their participation in community, regional and national concerns in relation to social, cultural, and economic development.
For more information, please contact: communications@pauktuutit.ca.