Social & Economic Development

NWAC advocates for the revitalization of Indigenous languages as essential pathways to cultural sovereignty and community wellbeing. Across 12 diverse language families in Canada, these irreplaceable knowledge systems have faced systematic suppression through colonial policies, including residential schools that deliberately targeted language elimination as documented in the MMIWG Final Report.

Our research reveals that language reclamation creates profound benefits beyond communication—strengthening cultural identity, improving health outcomes, enhancing academic achievement, and restoring intergenerational knowledge transfer. NWAC advances consistent funding and comprehensive support systems that recognize languages as living cultural treasures requiring urgent action. Through these efforts, we support Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse people in reclaiming their stories, meanings, and rightful places within their cultural contexts.

NWAC prioritizes secure, affordable, and culturally appropriate housing as a fundamental right for Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse people. Our comprehensive approach addresses the systemic barriers that have created housing insecurity while promoting community-led solutions that honour Indigenous values and needs.

Indigenous communities face unique challenges in housing development, from infrastructure limitations in Northern regions to restrictive lending practices stemming from the Indian Act. These barriers have led to overcrowding, rapid deterioration of existing structures, and cascading impacts on health and social wellbeing. NWAC’s 2020 housing report documented these interconnected challenges while advocating for diverse housing options, community autonomy in housing management, and designs that reflect environmental and social contexts. Through strategic partnerships and policy advocacy, we’re creating pathways to housing stability that strengthen community resilience and support holistic wellbeing.

NWAC advances food sovereignty as a fundamental right for Indigenous peoples—encompassing access to nutritious, affordable, and culturally significant foods alongside the preservation of traditional food knowledge and practices. Our work recognizes the profound cultural connections between Indigenous communities and their food systems, which have been systematically disrupted through colonization.

Indigenous women hold essential roles as knowledge keepers of food gathering, preparation, and preservation methods that sustain both physical health and cultural continuity. Through initiatives like the Agri-Diversity Pilot Project, NWAC supports Indigenous food systems by creating networks of gardeners, developing culturally-relevant resources, and advocating for policy reforms that respect traditional harvesting rights. Our research confirms that food insecurity disproportionately affects Indigenous communities, particularly in remote areas where Western foods are both expensive and culturally disconnected. By promoting Indigenous-led solutions that honour traditional relationships with the land while addressing contemporary challenges, we’re working toward food systems that nourish both bodies and cultural identities across Indigenous communities.

NWAC implements multi-faceted approaches to address poverty affecting Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse people—recognizing that economic marginalization stems directly from colonial systems and continued paternalistic policies. Our strategic initiatives focus on creating sustainable pathways to financial security while honouring cultural connections that research consistently shows are essential to effective poverty reduction.

Our 2017 research identified critical barriers including limited access to land, water, cultural supports, and essential services like mental health resources and housing. In response, NWAC advances comprehensive solutions that prioritize food sovereignty through traditional gathering and gardening initiatives, entrepreneurial development with special focus on Northern and remote communities, and violence prevention services that address the interconnection between economic vulnerability and safety. By advocating for Indigenous-centred, holistic approaches that build both financial capacity and cultural resilience, we’re working to dismantle systemic barriers while creating sustainable economic opportunities that reflect Indigenous values and priorities.