MMIW inquiry priorities

National organizations sent a letter to the federal government setting out priorities and recommendations

As ministers travel to cities and towns across the country, a few national organizations are asking the federal government to make some commitments around the upcoming inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Native Women’s Association of Canada, FAFIA: Feminist Alliance for International Action, Amnesty International Canada, KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives and LEAF: Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund sent an open letter to the federal government last week.

In the letter, they ask the government to make sure a national MMIW inquiry:

• Focuses on the extreme violence faced by Indigenous women and girls and brings this violence to an end by setting out a clear plan of action for all levels of government
• Exposes the systemic factors contributing to and perpetuating this violence
• Ensures the full and effective participation of affected families and communities
• Addresses the needs of Indigenous women and girls, and provides families the answers they need, across all jurisdictions in Canada

The letter also recommends providing a safe and supportive space for women and families to tell their stories and directly engaging the provinces and territories in the inquiry, among other things.

Read the full letter here.

To find out more information about the federal government’s preparations for a national inquiry, visit www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca.