New York, NY – Indigenous women from around the world are gathered in New York for the 22nd Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). The Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) is proud to be attending to continue to amplify the voices of Indigenous women internationally.
The Session theme “Indigenous peoples, human health, planetary and territorial health, and climate change: a rights-based approach” sets the stage for collective advocacy and action to advance Indigenous women’s inherent rights. Indigenous women know what they need to be safe. They are experts in their own lives and know the solutions to the issues they face.
“The voices of Indigenous women must inform and lead the conversations and decisions on planetary and territorial health, climate change and environmental justice. We must advocate and work collectively for legislation and policies that uphold matriarchal Indigenous women’s rights, knowledge, and responsibilities in relation to their culture, safety, children, communities, and Mother Earth.” – Cora McGuire-Cyrette, Executive Director, ONWA
ONWA uses the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as a framework for our work to support Indigenous women’s individual and collective rights: to have their own agencies; to be directly and meaningfully engaged on issues that directly impact them; to reclaim their leadership.
Traditionally Indigenous women gather to discuss common challenges and solutions. We must work to continue to build Indigenous women’s capacity by listening, learning, and developing relations with Indigenous women around the world. We are stronger together and need to ensure we continue to have dedicated space for Indigenous women at levels of decision making.
ONWA advocates for:
A commitment to ongoing and meaningful engagement with Indigenous women through a distinctions-based Nation-to-Nation PLUS.
Core sustainable funding for Indigenous women’s organizations is needed to support of Indigenous women and girls safety and healing and restoring Indigenous women’s roles and responsibilities.
For more information and media inquiries, contact:
Andre Morriseau, Communications Manager
Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA)
Email: amorriseau@onwa.ca
-30-
The Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) is a not-for-profit organization to empower and support all Indigenous women and their families in the province of Ontario through research, advocacy, policy development and programs that focus on local, regional and provincial activities.
ONWA recognizes that Indigenous women’s agencies are stronger together as a collective and we will continue to build relationship and capacity with Indigenous women and their agencies as a result our membership numbers may change from year to year.
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