History was made in Canada this week with the launch of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

We honour the many Indigenous women, family members and advocates who worked to ensure that this Inquiry would take place. We also thank the Trudeau Government for its willingness to open the country to scrutiny.

The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) believes that a tough-minded and open-hearted National Inquiry is essential in order to change the lives of Indigenous women and girls. And Canada must change; it must become a country where Indigenous women and girls can live in safety, with dignity and equality. Canada can only make a better future for Indigenous women and girls by examining and acknowledging failures and mistakes, and with that knowledge, designing effective corrections.

Read our full statement