International Women’s Day - A Message from your Indigenous Students’ Rep.

Greetings, my name is Leah Vaisanen. I currently reside in the Snuneymuxw Territory and I am the VIUSU Indigenous Students’ Representative at Vancouver Island University, I was recently elected as the Indigenous Caucus Chairperson for the British Columbia Federation for Students, I am an Indigenous leader, and a woman. I am of Dene and Vietnamese descent from Edmonton, AB, and Fort Simpson, NWT.

Let’s start off with some numbers, from 1980 to 2012 there have been reportedly over 4000 women as of 2016 who have gone missing. The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) has indicated that this number is much higher. As this figure has been mentioned, the RCMP have sadly only reported 1200 of these cases... As a community and country, it's imperative that we refuse to overlook the disappearance of these women and take action. We must step up and do better. We NEED to do more.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day in the community, we must recognize and remember the endless number of women and girls who have not returned home and have gone missing. Their stories are proven to be overlooked, their voices are silenced, and the system has failed us to bring the justice these women deserve. The lives of these innocent souls are an integral part of the narrative of gender inequality and violence against women that we seek to address on this day.

This ongoing issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) is not just a local or nationwide problem, it is a global crisis that demands attention and action just as if it was a non-Indigenous woman. Indigenous women and girls are disproportionately affected by violence, exploitation, and discrimination, both within their communities and in our society. Our women face many forms of oppression based on their gender, race, and Indigenous identity, which make them particularly vulnerable to abuse and violence.

Indigenous women are four times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be victims of violence. *In Canada, Indigenous women make up 16% of all female homicide victims, and 11% of missing women, yet Indigenous people make up only 4.3% of the population of Canada. These statistics are not just numbers, they represent the lives of our women and girls who have been robbed of their dignity, their rights, and their futures.

It is not just International Women’s Day, it is every day that we must confront the uncomfortable truth that Indigenous women and girls continue to face violence and injustice at alarming rates.

The issue of MMIWG requires more than just acknowledging its existence, it requires concrete action and solidarity from everyone in our society. It requires listening to and centering the voices of Indigenous women and girls, who have been at the forefront of advocacy and activism on this issue for over 40 years. It requires holding the ones responsible, our systems, and the institutions ensuring that our women and girls have access to justice and proper support. By addressing the root causes of violence and discrimination, we must confront the history of colonization, the loss of lands, and the elimination of culture that has left Indigenous communities marginalized and vulnerable.

On this International Women’s Day, let us all unite to continue the fight for justice and equality for all women, including Indigenous women and girls. Let us use our voices to honour their stories and stand in solidarity with them as we demand the needed change. As well, let us not forget that the struggle for gender equality cannot be achieved until all women, regardless of race and background are safe, valued, and able to thrive in the communities.

We must honour the memories by addressing the systemic issues that perpetuate this crisis, and by standing in solidarity with Indigenous women and girls as they demand justice, dignity, and equality. Only when this is truly achieved, we can see the vision of a world where all women are free from violence and oppression.

Here in Nanaimo, I remember Lisa Marie Young how about you? Read more about Lisa’s disappearance here.

* Further statistics regarding MMIWG in Canada from Stats Canada can be viewed here.