FAFIA is an alliance of women's organizations at the national, provincial, territorial, and local levels.
Our mandate is to advance women’s equality in Canada by working for the full implementation of the international human rights treaties and agreements that Canada has ratified.
For over 143 years, First Nations women and their descendants have had to fight a long and winding battle to dismantle the sex-based discrimination that has been perpetuated by the Indian Act. On August 15, 2019, these women, advocates, and communities celebrated a momentous victory for gender equality as the Government of Canada finally brought the outstanding provisions of Bill S-3 into force. These final Bill S-3 provisions will eliminate remaining sex-based inequities from the Indian Act and abolish the 1951 cut-off from the Indian Act registration provisions.
Go to the Bill S-3 page
The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Actions (FAFIA), alongside the Indian Act Sex Discrimination Working Group has filed a brief with Indigenous Services Canada on the Government of Canada's plans to table a new amendment to the Indian Act in the late fall of 2022. You can read the brief here.
The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Actions (FAFIA) and Dr. Pamela Palmater filed briefs on May 6 with the Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples (APPA) that is studying Bill S-3 and sex discrimination in the Indian Act. These briefs provide follow-up information to the testimony of Sharon McIvor, Dr. Pamela Palmater, and Shelagh Day at the Senate Committee's hearing on March 28, 2022. A recording of the APPA meeting is available here.
The first brief provides a summary of the ways in which sex discrimination is not eliminated from the Indian Act de facto (in fact) or dejure (in law). You can read that brief here.
During the March 28th APPA meeting, Senator Dan Christmas asked a question regarding section 6(2) of the Indian Act, and Pamela Palmater replied. This second brief expands on that exchange, providing background and a recommended remedy for the continuing harms caused by section 6(2). “The Second Generation Cut-off.” You can read that brief here.
Today, the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) issued a new report on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police entitled, "The Toxic Culture of the RCMP: Misogyny, Racism, and Violence against Women in Canada’s National Police Force." Read our press release here.
Our report, researched and written by Shivangi Misra, Ashley Major, Dr. Pamela Palmater, and Shelagh Day, finds that there is shocking and growing evidence of systemic discrimination and violence against women perpetrated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. FAFIA urges the Government of Canada to immediately establish an independent external review of Canada’s national police force that will address and change its treatment of women, both as an employer and as a service-provider.
You can read and download the report here. An executive summary of the report is also available here.
We are grateful to have our report endorsed by the organizations listed below. We are thankful for their support and hope that this report will contribute to the incredible work going on across Canada to end violence against women, including violence against women by the police.
For more information, media inquiries or to endorse this report, please contact:
Cyndia Mondésir
Senior Manager, Communications and Operations
[email protected]
Given that we are talking about sexualized violence, we recognize that this report could be triggering for those who have experienced it. Please reach out to if you require support:
Indian Residential School Survivors & Family Hotline: 1-866-925-4419
First Nations & Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line: 1-855-242-3310
Native Youth Crisis Hotline: 1-877-209-1266
Canadian Trafficking Hotline: 1-833-900-1010
Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
Crisis Services Canada: 1-833-456-4566
*The report does not reflect the views or positions of any of the community groups and organizations referenced. Any information about the official position of the groups referenced should be directed to the specific group or organization.
In November 2021, as part of a coalition of concerned advocates, FAFIA joined Human Right experts in submitting a Request for Early Warnings and Urgent Action Procedures to The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in relation to the imminent threat to Indigenous peoples and territories in British Columbia, Canada. You can read the joint submission here, along with the coalition letter to Prime Minister Justice Trudeau.
In response, CERD has adopted a letter related to the information submitted by the coalition organizations during its 106th session (11-29 April 2022). Read the full letter here.
In the letter, "the Committee requests the State Party to provide information on the measures taken to:
(a) Cease the construction of the Trans Mountain Pipeline and the Coastal Gas Link pipeline, until free, prior and informed consent is obtained from, respectively, the Secwepemc people and the Wet’suwet’en people, following the full and adequate discharge of the duty to consult;
(b) Engage in negotiations and consultations with the Secwepemc and We’suwet’en communities affected by the Trans Mountain Pipeline and Coastal Gas Link Pipeline and to report on the results of those negotiations and consultations;
(c) Prevent and duly investigate the allegations of surveillance measures, practices of arbitrary detention, instances of excessive use of force against protesters, in particular those belonging to the Secwepemc and Wet’suwet’en peoples, by the RCMP, CIRG, and private security firms;
(d) Cease the forced eviction of Secwepemc and Wet’suwet’en peoples;
(e) Guarantee the right of peaceful assembly of indigenous peoples, including the Secwepemc and Wet’suwet’en peoples;
(f) Review, in consultation with indigenous peoples, the legal and institutional framework with a view to ensuring that the right to consultation and to obtain free, prior and informed consent is adequately incorporated in domestic legislation in a manner which is in compliance with international human rights obligations and jurisprudence, including the Committee’s general recommendation No. 23 on the rights of indigenous peoples."
We rely on the generous contributions from our supporters! Your funding will support research and public education on women’s human rights. Please make a pledge below, your generosity will help us to continue our work.
Make a contribution
