Human rights group calls for inquiry into missing, murdered indigenous women

A Washington D.C.-based human rights group has added its voice to the call for a nation-wide inquiry into the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, a human rights watchdog group across the Americas, released a report Jan. 12 that analysed recent cases of murdered and missing indigenous women in British Columbia.

A seven-person panel — none of whom were Canadian — spent three years investigating the issue, at the request of the Native Women’s Association of Canada.

The group’s final report noted the disproportionately high number of missing and murdered indigenous women, and suggested it would stay that way until its root causes are addressed.

“The disappearances and murders of indigenous women in Canada are part of a broader pattern of violence and discrimination against indigenous women in Canada,” the report said.

“Addressing violence against women is not sufficient unless the underlying factors of discrimination that originate and exacerbate the violence are also comprehensively addressed.”

Those factors can include poverty, inadequate housing and race and gender-based discrimination.

To help address these, the report urges better coordination among different levels of government, including the creation of a national action plan or inquiry.

“There is much more to understand and to acknowledge in relation to the missing and murdered indigenous women,” the report said.

“This initiative must be organized in consultation with indigenous peoples, particularly indigenous women, at all stages.”

The report also found that family members of missing or murdered women often were met with dismissive attitudes from police officers working on their cases. Police failed to promptly investigate, and, in turn. failed to adequately prevent and protect women from violence, the report said.

The report suggested training in gender-based violence for police and other public functionaries who families might encounter through the legal system.

Last May, the RCMP released an overview of violence against Aboriginal women in Canada which said that 1,181 Aboriginal women were murdered or reported missing between 1980 and 2012.

While premiers and Aboriginal leaders have committed to a roundtable discussion on the issue next month, the federal government made no sign of committing to a national inquiry.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said publicly that the issue of missing or murdered Aboriginal women should not be viewed as a sociological phenomenon, but rather as a crime – one that police can deal with.

Opposition leader Thomas Mulcair took to Twitter Jan. 12, saying the report shows the “shameful negligence” of the government’s refusal to call an inquiry.

You can read the full report here.