The National Inquiry on Murders and Disappearances of Indigenous Women and Girls

Abstract

Consolidated Recommendations On 30–31 January 2016, the Native Women's Association of Canada, the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action, and the Canadian Journal of Women and the Law convened a symposium in Ottawa to engage in dialogue about the upcoming national inquiry on the murders and disappearances of Indigenous women and girls. Forty Indigenous women leaders, family members of murdered and disappeared women, academics, and allies were joined by six human rights experts from the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. This document is distilled from presentations and dialogue at the symposium. This is a consensus document. The group was largely in agreement with the principles put forward. A few women did not agree fully with all aspects of these recommendations. We have attempted to capture their concerns in this document. This document does not purport to deal exhaustively with all aspects of the inquiry. Other areas of consideration include how to incorporate the voices and experiences of young, elderly, disabled, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgendered, intersexual, queer, questioning, 2-spirited Indigenous women into the inquiry. The aim of this report is to provide those who are developing the mandate for the inquiry with clear direction that is rooted in the face-to-face deliberations of Indigenous women from across Canada and their allies. It is organized by theme, outlining the concerns and issues raised by participants, with each theme concluding in a concrete recommendation. The recommendations are consolidated at the end of the document for ease of reference. We sincerely hope that the policy makers who are developing the inquiry's mandate will take these recommendations, and their human rights lens, into account in meaningful ways.