(Lheidli T’enneh Territory, Prince George, BC – March 8, 2020) – “International Women’s Day is a worldwide day where millions of people take time to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, and commit to take action for equality,” stated Regional Chief Terry Teegee. “I would like to acknowledge the crucial role of women in all our lives, and the many accomplishments that women are responsible for in the realms of politics, business, community organizations, and the fabric of our communities and families.”
The theme of International Women’s Day this year is “#EachforEqual: An equal world is an enabled world” and challenges us all with the question, “How will you help forge a gender equal world?”
While progress has been made, women still experience gendered violence and discrimination. The ongoing tragedy of violence against women, and of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people is a direct result of systematic racism, sexism, colonialism, and poverty. In 2019 the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) acknowledged that this national crisis is genocide, a fact that Indigenous peoples and their allies have known and declared for decades.
There is a responsibility by all to redress the systemic racism and to eliminate the gendered colonial violence perpetrated against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people within Canada. On March 5, 2020 the BC Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN) Chiefs-in-Assembly supported Resolution 11/2020 “Support for Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People Declaration and Strategy”. The development of this strategy will enable the BCAFN to strategically advocate for the implementation of the 231 Calls for Justice and priorities identified in the Women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People Declaration that was developed based on the BCAFN Women in Leadership Dialogue Sessions. The resolution also commits the BCAFN to hold future Dialogue Sessions, and to have this work led by the BCAFN Women’s Representative in collaboration with likeminded organizations and individuals.
#EachforEqual #IWD2020