(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) unceded territory, Vancouver, BC) – Today is the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual people (2SLGBTQQIA+). Across the country, families, communities, and broader society honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, come together to grieve and heal, raise awareness regarding the systemic causes of violence, and advance collaborative action to ensure all Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people can thrive.
BCAFN Women's Representative, Louisa Housty-Jones stated, “We must take concrete measures to prevent and respond to violence against First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. Violence occurs in many forms and is systemic in Canadian society. We need to address the root causes so that systems and people stop perpetrating harm and actively support women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in our communities by taking their voices seriously and supporting their hopes, dreams, and goals for themselves and for their community. The implementation of legislation affirming the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN Declaration) is a key avenue that we can use to ensure the voices, rights, and well-being of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people are consistently and systematically advanced.”
Ensuring that initiatives to reform and effect transformation in the areas of justice, education, children and families, education, and resource stewardship, among others, uphold the voices, priorities, and needs of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people is critical to achieving the vision of wellbeing and rights recognition envisioned through the National Inquiry and in the UN Declaration.
BCAFN continues to advocate alongside survivors, victims, families and organizations; working to bring people and governments together to advance this collective work. In May 2023, BCAFN invited community members and organizations to share and discuss current initiatives that respond to the Calls for Justice and provided an opportunity for updates from provincial and federal officials. BCAFN also continues to partner with advocacy efforts to see legislation passed that would provide for improved responses to missing Indigenous persons through enhanced coordination and standards among jurisdictions, among other initiatives. On this important day, BCAFN lifts up all those who are fighting for change and urges everyone to join in creating a safe, healthy, and thriving future for all.