Resources for Women

Amnesty International releases report No More Stolen Sisters: A new report titled No More Stolen Sisters: The Need for a Comprehensive Response to Discrimination and Violence against Indigenous Women in Canada follows up their 2004 Stolen Sisters report, by providing updated research and analysis on the issue of missing and murdered women in Canada from a human rights perspective. http://www.amnesty.ca/amnestynews/upload/AMR200122009.pdf

Trafficking of Aboriginal Women and Girls in Canada (2009). This article discusses the particular ways in which Aboriginal women and girls in the Prairie Provinces are recruited into the sex trade by third parties under exploitative circumstances and the ways in which these acts fit within the definition of "trafficking in persons" in Canadian criminal law. http://www.iog.ca/publications/2009_trafficking_of_aboriginal_women.pdf.

National Aboriginal Women’s Summit II: Strong Women, Strong Communities Summary Report (2009)
The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) and the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) with funding support from the Government of Canada were pleased to partner in hosting the second National Aboriginal Women’s Summit (NAWS II). The Summit was held in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, from July 29 to 31, 2008. The Honourable Floyd Roland, Premier of the Northwest Territories and Ms. Beverley Jacobs, President of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, co-chaired this event. Over 150 women from every jurisdiction in Canada attended NAWS II. The purpose of the Summit was to develop strategic actions to aid in the implementation of the twenty-nine priority recommendations that were the result of the first National Aboriginal Women’s Summit in June 2007. The NAWS II report is available online at http://www.nwac-hq.org/en/documents/NAWSSummaryReportJune1709FINAL.pdf or in French at http://www.nwac-hq.org/fr/documents/FR_NAWS_Summary_Report_June19-09FINAL.pdf.

A Guide to Winnipeg for Aboriginal Newcomers (2009). Check out this practical guide for tips on finding housing, transportation, shopping, and supports for families and elders. Produced by Partners@510 Selkirk. A program of Partners for Careers. Download the Guide here.

Jumping Through Hoops (2008). This Manitoba study examines the experiences and reflections of Aboriginal mothers involved with child welfare and legal systems respecting child protection matters. This report was prepared for Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc. and the Steering Committee of the Family Court Diversion Project in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Download the report at http://www.fncfcs.com/projects/FNRS.html.

Voices of Our Sisters In Spirit: A Research and Policy Report to Families and Communities (2009). This second edition report by Native Women’s Association of Canada summarizes information gained through interviews with participating families about their missing or murdered loved ones, as well as demographic and statistical research. This report is available online at http://www.nwac-hq.org/en/documents/NWAC_VoicesofOurSistersInSpiritII_March2009FINAL.pdf.

Pitawik: A Manitoba Strategy Manitoba First Nations, Métis and Inuit Women (2008). Arising out of the first National Aboriginal Women’s Summit (NAWS 1), the Pitawik report is the result of a meeting that brought together 23 respected Aboriginal women with demonstrated community leadership and involvement, and representatives from various government departments, to talk about successes, current efforts and future expectations for change within the community. Download the report here.

NWAC develops culturally relevant gender based analysis Aboriginal women (2008): Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) released a policy paper on gender-based analysis that is culturally specific to considering the lives of Aboriginal women. http://www.naws-sfna.ca/english/policy_papers/documents/CulturallyRelevantGenderBasedAnalysis.pdf

Aboriginal women developing gender-based analysis (2007): This report documents a dialogue that took place as an attempt to develop a culturally appropriate method of gender-based analysis for policies that affect Aboriginal women. It represents an attempt to ask Aboriginal women how they would want to reframe gender-based analysis to work for them and their communities.
http://www.awhhrg.ca/documents/GBAWorkshopSummary.pdf

First Peoples Child & Family online review (2007): A Journal on Innovation and Best Practices in Aboriginal Child Welfare Administration, Research, Policy and Practice's latest issue, titled First Peoples Child & Family Review (Volume 3, Number 1, 2007), is available online at: http://www.fncfcs.com/pubs/vol3num1toc.html. For information on contributing to the First Peoples journal as an author or reviewer, visit: http://www.fncaringsociety.com or e-mail the coordinating editor at: mbennett@fncfcs.com.

Inuit Women's Action Plan (released 2006): The Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada recently released Keepers of the Light: Inuit Women's Action Plan which outlines Pauktuutit's vision for a strengthened partnership between Canadian Inuit women and the Government of Canada. The Action Plan is accessible on the Pauktuutit website: http://www.pauktuutit.ca.

Funding for missing Aboriginal women (2005): In November 2005, the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) received five million dollars over five years for its Sisters in Spirit initiative to address the racialized and sexualized violence against Aboriginal women across Canada. Amnesty International's report, Stolen Sisters: Discrimination and Violence against Indigenous Women in Canada, reinforced the need for a national initiative to address brutal, racialized, sexualized violence against Aboriginal women in Canada. The next steps are to invest in research, public education and policy direction and development. See NWAC's website for an update on the Sisters in Spirit initiative http://www.nwac-hq.org/en/background.html

Amnesty International's Stolen Sisters report (released 2004): This report by Amnesty International, titled Stolen Sisters: a Human Rights Response to Discrimination and Violence against Indigenous Women in Canada, examines factors which it says have been too long neglected, and have contributed to a heightened -- and unacceptable -- risk of violence against Indigenous women in Canadian cities. The 67-page report is available at: http://www.amnesty.ca/campaigns/sisters_overview.php

Manitoba's Aboriginal Strategy on HIV/AIDS (2004): In December 2004, the Manitoba government distributed copies of As Long as the Waters Flow: An Aboriginal Strategy on HIV/AIDS * A Component of Manitoba's Provincial AIDS Strategy. The document is available at: http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/aids/links.html

Human Security and Aboriginal Women in Canada (2005): This report, titled Human Security and Aboriginal Women in Canada, examines the connections between Aboriginal women and protest in the context of Bill C-36 (the Anti-terrorism Act, 2001) and the constitutional rights of Aboriginal people. The 83-page Status of Women Canada Policy Research Fund publication is available at: http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/SW21-133-2005E.pdf

Aboriginal employment website: Community events are posted on the new Aboriginal jobs referral website at: http://www.amik.ca (click on upcoming events under the Community section and then on the month). Send information about community events, jobs and upcoming training programs that can be posted on the website to: info@amik.ca or fax: (204) 336-0568.

Aboriginal youth comic book: The Healthy Aboriginal Network's comic book dealing with youth suicide prevention is now available. To preview the comic book or for more information, e-mail: sean@thehealthyaboriginal.net You can also check out their website at http://www.thehealthyaboriginal.net/

Resource for Aboriginal families: The Best Start Resource Centre has announced a new resource related to maternal/child health in the Aboriginal community, titled "A Sense of Belonging: Supporting Healthy Child Development in Aboriginal Families". To download the manual visit http://www.beststart.org/resources/hlthy_chld_dev/pdf/aboriginal_manual.pdf