Thunder Bay, ON – Today, the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) celebrate 53 years as an agency by and for Indigenous women.
ONWA is the oldest and largest Indigenous women’s agency in Canada, and we celebrate and honour the safety and healing of Indigenous women and girls as they take up their leadership roles in their family, community, and internationally for generations to come. Turning the issues that Indigenous women face into actionable change – now and for future generations – is the foundation of ONWA’s Strategic Picture 2021-2031.
ONWA honours the past generations of Indigenous women, whose wisdom continues to guide us. ONWA’s work in the Indigenous women’s movement started at the grassroots level, with a few Indigenous women gathering around a kitchen table taking action on issues that affected them and their and rights. We are now an association representing more than 35 Indigenous women’s organizations and groups in Ontario, and an agency with over 200 employees offering programming in 26 sites the province. In 2023-2024, ONWA's overall community impact reached 372,700 community members and provided over 186,000 direct services to Indigenous women and their families. Through our research, policy, and advocacy work, ONWA is affecting systemic change for Indigenous women by continuing to tell their stories and truths provincially, nationally, and internationally. Our advocacy on the key safety issues impacting Indigenous women and their families is now recognizable at the United Nations, and we are focused on empowering Indigenous youth to become the leaders of tomorrow.
We celebrate another year of amplifying Indigenous women’s leadership and advancing the safety, healing, and wellbeing of Indigenous women and their families across the province. The strength and resilience of Indigenous women and girls is a testament to the power of our communities, and how when we come together collectively, we are stronger.
To learn more about ONWA’s successes, read our 2023-2024 Annual Report.
To learn more about ONWA visit: onwa.ca
For more information and media inquiries, contact:
Andre Morriseau, Communications Manager
Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA)
Email: amorriseau@onwa.ca
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