International group calls for inquiry into missing women
OTTAWA — An international body has joined Canadian domestic calls for a national inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls.
A report from The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, an arm of the Organization of American States, says an inquiry or national action plan is needed to get at the root of the problem.
The report, issued in Washington, followed an investigation the commission conducted in Canada in 2013. The body spoke with government officials, opposition politicians and native representatives in both Ottawa and British Columbia.
“The [commission] considers that there is much more to understand and to acknowledge in relation to the missing and murdered indigenous women,” the report said. “This initiative must be organized in consultation with indigenous peoples, particularly indigenous women, at all stages.”
The report said aboriginal women in Canada are murdered or disappear at a rate four times higher than their representation in the population.
Canadian activists who have been pressing a reluctant federal government for just such an inquiry welcomed the OAS report.
Claudette Dumont-Smith, executive director of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, said the government should heed its warnings.
“This requires leadership from the government of Canada, since its leadership and participation is necessary in order to ensure nationwide co-ordinated, effective efforts,” Dumont-Smith told a news conference in Ottawa.
“This is what the government has — so far — not done.”
That sentiment was echoed by Holly Johnson, chairwoman of the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action.
“Canadian governments have a lot of work to do to address the human rights abuses of aboriginal women, and this means addressing historic and current inequalities and discrimination that are at the root of this violence and the missing aboriginal women,” Johnson said.
Perry Bellegarde, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, called the report valuable and insightful.
Josh Paterson, executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, said governments are failing in their duty to prevent violence and discrimination.