Recommendations for Indigenous women’s wellness in the DTES

Recommendation 181: Strengthen all the social determinants of Indigenous women’s health by ensuring access to and governance over land, culture, language, housing, child care, income security, employment, education, and safety.

Recommendations for Indigenous women’s wellness in the DTES

Recommendation 182: Access to affordable and nutritious foods especially fruits, vegetables, and meats in the DTES. This means more community gardens, food banks, nonprofit grocery stores, and providing discount cards for regular super markets.

Recommendations for Indigenous women’s wellness in the DTES

Recommendation 183: End the health risks associated with living in the DTES by ensuring healthy environments and built-environments in all buildings, residences, and outdoors. This includes the right to:

1. Clean air and clean streets.
2. Green space and urban ecological systems.
3. Sanitation.
4. Accessible and clean public washrooms.
5. Potable water.
6. Functioning water fountains and more access to water sources.

Recommendations for Indigenous women’s wellness in the DTES

Culturally safe healthcare

Recommendation 184: An Indigenous Health and Wellness Centre in the DTES and more Indigenous run health programs that use Indigenous methods and medicines to address physical, mental, sexual, emotional, and spiritual harms.

Recommendations for Indigenous women’s wellness in the DTES

Culturally safe healthcare

Recommendation 185: End the coerced sterilization of Indigenous women, and hold health professionals criminally responsible for acts of coerced sterilization.

Recommendations for Indigenous women’s wellness in the DTES

Culturally safe healthcare

Recommendation 186: End the medical pathologizing and diagnosing of gender identity. Train healthcare professionals to provide gender-affirming care that is safe for and respectful of trans women and two-spirit people.

Recommendations for Indigenous women’s wellness in the DTES

Culturally safe healthcare

Recommendation 187: Reframe mental health and addictions services so they mirror Indigenous women’s social and economic realities and aspirations towards healing.

Recommendations for Indigenous women’s wellness in the DTES

Recommendation 188: All healthcare workers must believe Indigenous women and treat them as credible experts about their own health.

Recommendations for Indigenous women’s wellness in the DTES

Culturally safe healthcare

Recommendation 189: All medical and nursing schools in Canada must require courses dealing with Indigenous health issues, including the legacy of colonialism and its impacts, as well as skills-based training in anti-racism, human rights, and trauma-informed care.

Recommendations for Indigenous women’s wellness in the DTES

Culturally safe healthcare

Recommendation 190: More doctors and nurses, and especially more Indigenous healthcare professionals.