Eliminating structural violence against Indigenous women and girls

Recommendation 3: Increased state enforcement alone cannot eliminate violence against Indigenous women and girls because structural violence is connected to individual acts of male violence. A comprehensive national-level integrated action plan to eliminate violence against Indigenous women and girls must address all the socio-economic factors impacting Indigenous women’s, girls’, trans and two-spirit’s safety including equitable access and self-determination over land, culture, language, housing, child care, income security, employment, education, and physical, mental, sexual and spiritual health.

Guaranteed public services

Recommendation 35: Provide free tuition for all postsecondary education for all Indigenous women and girls, and eliminate all existing student loans for Indigenous women and girls.

Recommendations to end Indigenous women’s displacement from land

Recommendation 37: All Canadian and Aboriginal governments must ensure that Indigenous women are engaged fully and have equitable access to decision-making on issues of governance, land, culture, language, housing, child care, income security, employment, education, health, and other areas impacting Indigenous women.

Recommendations to end Indigenous women’s displacement from land

On reserve

Recommendation 40: The federal government must guarantee:

1. Access to clean drinking water; food security based on a traditional diet; critical infrastructure including roads and sanitation systems; and essential health, education, child care, housing, transport, recreational, cultural, and emergency services on every reserve.
2. Safe, affordable, and livable housing for every woman on her reserve that is independent of her matrimonial status.
3. Affordable child care and licensed day care options on every reserve.
4. Complete complement of maternal and infant/child health services on reserve to enable women to remain closer to home to give birth.
5. Free public transportation between each town and city located along the entire length of Highway 16 and all other highways, with a number of safe homes and emergency phone booths along the length of all the highways.
6. Increase funding on all reserves for programs and services that strengthen traditional and cultural knowledge grounded in Indigenous laws, values, and practices.
7. Range of anti-violence services including preventive programs, crisis intervention, victim services, advocacy support, restorative justice circles, shelters, transitional housing, and second-stage housing on every reserve.
8. Cultural sensitivity training for all first responders such as police, healthcare professionals, and social workers who assist survivors of violence on reserve.

Recommendations to end Indigenous women’s displacement from land

On reserve

Recommendation 45: The federal government must eliminate the discrepancy in federal education funding for First Nations children being educated on reserve and First Nations children being educated off reserve, and provide sufficient funding to close educational attainment gaps.

Recommendations to end Indigenous women’s displacement from land

On reserve

Recommendation 46: Increase funding for the Indigenous Languages Act to preserve, revitalize, and strengthen all Indigenous languages. This should include efforts to hire and accredit language speakers to teach the language as credit courses for Indigenous students.

Recommendations to end Indigenous women’s displacement from land

Band councils

Recommendation 51: Aboriginal governments should increase funding for education and programs regarding violence prevention directed at children, youth, and adults with an emphasis on consent, sexual education, and healthy relationships.

Recommendations to end Indigenous women’s displacement from land

Band councils

Recommendation 52: Aboriginal governments should fund community-based education to ensure that the historical and cultural importance of two-spirit identity is widely understood, supported, and promoted.

Recommendations to guarantee economic security for Indigenous women in the DTES

Provincial income assistance

Recommendation 70: Allow recipients of income assistance to remain on income assistance while attending postsecondary education.

Recommendations to guarantee economic security for Indigenous women in the DTES

Provincial income assistance

Recommendation 72: Remove the age cap and the two-year eligibility requirement for income assistance for the Tuition Waiver Program for youth aging out of care.