04 Oct AFN and AFN Women’s Council Support Call for National Action Plan to End Violence Against Indigenous Women (CNW)
OTTAWA, Oct 4 /CNW/ – Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo and AFN Women’s Council Chair Kathleen McHugh today expressed continued support for the leadership and efforts of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) through the Sisters in Spirit campaign in calling for a national action plan to end violence against Indigenous women in Canada.
“Today’s vigil on Parliament Hill is a demonstration of support for the pressing need to ensure our Indigenous grandmothers, mothers, sisters and daughters remain safe,” said AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo. “The $10 million, two year commitment by the federal government in this year’s Throne Speech is a positive step, but with now 582 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women, much more must be done. We have supported action for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls at meetings with the provincial premiers and territorial leaders and the federal government. All levels of government must work collaboratively with AFN, NWAC and other Indigenous and women’s organizations to examine the root causes as to why so many Indigenous women are placed in vulnerable situations and dedicate ourselves finding ways to prevent further violence.”
The 5th Sisters in Spirit Vigil took place this afternoon on Parliament Hill, honouring the lives and memories of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. NWAC and its national partners KAIROS, Amnesty International, the Canadian Federation of Students, the National Association of Friendship Centers, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, the Assembly of First Nations and the Ottawa Sisters in Spirit Vigil committee issued a joint statement calling for a commitment from all Canadians to make the safety of all Aboriginal women a priority and ending systemic forms of violence….Go to article.