‘Disappearances and Murders of Aboriginal Women and Girls in Canada’ : FAFIA Submission to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

After many years of work on this issue by so many Aboriginal women, family members, and allies, we are pleased that the United Nations Committee has decided to intervene. We hope that the Committee will be able to assist Canada to address the crisis of human rights violations against Aboriginal women and girls.

On 8 February 2012, FAFIA and NWAC wrote to Madame Pimentel, Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women to request a visit to Canada to conduct the inquiry as soon as possible. The letter has been supported by numerous organizations and individuals.

Letter to the Chair of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

World trade and per capita income grew faster in the first decade of the XXI century than the decade before, but progress against poverty slowed down. A gap widened, due to the unequal distribution of the benefits of prosperity. Now the boom years seem to give way to a bust. The vulnerable did not benefit from the accelerated growth in the economy, but they will undoubtedly suffer the most with a new contraction.

The Basic Capabilities Index computed by social watch looks at basic social indicators. The 2011 figures show that economic performance and well being of the people do not go hand in hand. Progress on education, health and nutrition was already too slow when gross income was growing fast. While using the latest available figures, the Index does not capture yet the whole impact of the global financial and economic crisis that started in 2008, because social indicators are gathered and published much slower than the economic numbers.

Read more: http://www.socialwatch.org/node/13749

West Coast LEAF has published the 2011 CEDAW Report Card. The Report Card is released every year on the anniversary of the 1929 Persons Day victory that established many women as “persons” under the law and eligible for appointment to the Senate. For the second year in a row, British Columbia has scored an overall C- in women’s rights. The province is failing to meet its potential due to continued detrimental practices particularly affecting low income and marginalized women. The grade was awarded in the West Coast Legal Education and Action Fund’s third annual CEDAW Report Card, released today.

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The 2011 recipients of the Governor General’s Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case are:

Madeline Boscoe, R.N., D.U., of North Vancouver, British Columbia, has dedicated more than 30 years to improving women’s health in Canada.

Nancy Hartling, of Riverview, New Brunswick, is a passionate advocate for women, focusing on domestic violence and poverty.

Lucie Joyal, of Boucherville, Quebec, has worked tirelessly for more than two decades to eliminate violence against women and children.

Sharon Donna McIvor, of Merritt, British Columbia, has devoted close to three decades of her life to advancing equality for Aboriginal women.

Kim Pate, of Ottawa, Ontario, is an internationally recognized advocate for marginalized, victimized and criminalized women.

Youth Award recipient Amber JoAnn Fletcher of Regina, Saskatchewan, is an advocate for equality issues and social justice.

Congratulations!

The Nobel Committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2011 to three women: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman, “for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.” The Nobel Committee stated: “We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society.”