International Advocacy

Our goals are to:

• NWAC urges the adoption of international human rights recommendations to further the well-being of Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse people across Canada.
• Canada should take a culturally relevant, gender-based approach when developing the UNDRIP Action Plan to ensure the inclusion of needs Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse people.
• NWAC advocates for the implementation of international human rights reporting processes, ensuring cases related to Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse people, are accounted for.

Summary:

In February 2019, The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) was formally recognized through the NWAC Accord, enabling the Association to draw further attention to treatment of Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse people in Canada. This Accord acknowledged the importance of the international exchange of knowledge and experience when acting as a voice for Indigenous human rights.

NWAC’s international advocacy is an effective way of raising domestic human rights concerns on a global stage. Through organizations like the United Nations, NWAC actively participates in international events to ensure Indigenous voices in Canada are heard. By taking part in international meetings, NWAC assists in the creation of powerful human rights instruments. Such meetings include the UN Commission on the Status of Women, UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In 2021, NWAC hosted the Summit of Americas to bring visionaries and thought leaders together to engage in an international discussion on the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Gender-Diverse People (MMIWG2S).

NWAC will continue to advocate at the international level, engage with international partners, and urge the federal government to adopt international policies.

NWAC Material:

• Issue #3 of Kci-Niwesq 
• Summit of the Americas Outcome Document
• Summit of the Americas Opening Day Statement
• Summit of the Americas Agenda 
• Summit of the Americas Summit Speech