May 5 is the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people.
The SEIU-West First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Committee would like to share some information and events with you and ask you to honour the victims of the ongoing crisis of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit peoples by attending events in your area or taking a moment to read up on the Calls for Justice.
Red dresses are hung in windows, trees, and public spaces to represent the empty spaces left by missing and murdered individuals. This day is meant to honour and bring awareness to the thousands of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people that are missing or murdered.
Métis artist Jaime Black used red dresses as a visual, artistic response to the high number of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada. Red dresses have become symbolic of the crisis as a result of her installation.
While Indigenous women account for less than 5% of the population, they make up 24% of female homicide victims.
The path to reconciliation included the Truth and Reconciliation Report. In that report, there were 94 calls to action. #41 asked for a public inquiry into the crisis. This spurred the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). This inquiry wrote a final report which contains 231 calls for justice. From the calls to justice, an action plan has been created.
Educate yourself:
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
- TRC Calls to Action
- National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Final Report
- National Action Plan
- Saskatchewan Responses to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
Attend an event:
- Saskatoon
- Swift Current
- Look for an event in your community, or better yet, organize an event!
