Did you know 5% of the Canadian population is Indigenous, yet 50% of trafficking victims are Indigenous? There is an enormous problem of Missing and Murdered Indigenous women in Canada. This human rights crisis has created 1017 Indigenous homicide victims between 1980-2012, although experts say a more accurate number is around 4000. There has been a visible divide between violence and deaths between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, and it is time for it to stop. It has been ignored up to most recent years, and there has not been adequate media attention, education and action taken against it. 

Some facts about MMIWG:

• Indigenous women over 15 are 3.5 times more likely to experience violence than non-Indigenous women
• 6/10 cases of violence against Indigenous Women go unreported
• Indigenous women account for 24% of all female homicides in Canada

If we don’t take action on this now, this will continue to happen, and numbers will rise. Consider the following: How are the families and friends of victims impacted by it? What about the children of these women? 

To bring awareness and change to this issue, we need to spread the word. Spreading the word will mean that there will be more support on this issue, and we can find ways to slow this down. You can help support this cause by reading information on www.mmiwg-ffada.ca to educate yourself. You can talk to your friends and family about it. 

As of now, the government has done a few things to help with this issue but not a lot. One of them was the national inquiry, which concluded that this violence stems from “persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses” and is rooted deeply in our society. They created 231 calls to justice, many of which have not sprung into action. That is why I believe we need to start at the root of the problem, the lack of education in schools surrounding the issue. The Provincial Government should implement more education around Indigenous peoples and MMIWG in schools. Many young children and high schoolers do not know about this issue. Educating them on this can help them realize the wrongdoings that are deeply rooted in society and bring up a new generation that can end it. Proper and adequate education is crucial, and you can do this by signing this petition and contacting your local MPP.