The Indian Act was created to control and assimilate Indigenous Peoples and their communities. Its implementation extinguished the recognition of self-government structures, cultural practices, and education. Moreover, under the Indian Act, Indigenous women have experienced longstanding discrimination and limitations on their ability to obtain status. As a result, Indigenous women have been denied their right to live on-reserve, access services, pursue their cultural identity, and undermine their belonging.
The Indian Act has, and continues to, perpetuate sexism, racism and classism through discriminatory registration provisions. NWAC has long advocated for the removal of discriminatory registration provisions from the Indian Act to address outstanding sex-based inequities in registration and ensure Indigenous women in all their diversity can equally exercise their rights.
