About National MMIWG2S Awareness Day
Also known as Red Dress Day, May 5 honours the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, 2 spirit, and gender diverse people in Canada by encouraging learning and building awareness to end violence against Indigenous women, girls, 2 spirit, and gender diverse people.
Call to Action 41 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report calls on the federal government of Canada to begin an inquiry into the numerous cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
Starting in 2016, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls held 15 community hearings, and spoke with 2,386 people. A final report was released in June 2019 which includes 231 Calls for Justice that "represent important ways to end the genocide and to transform systemic and societal values that have worked to maintain colonial violence" (Final Report, volume 1B, p. 168). The Inquiry also released an engagement guide, Their voices will guide us, which will "introduce the value of Indigenous women’s and girls’ lives into the classroom and into the minds and hearts of young people. It will prepare educators to use a decolonizing pedagogy and a trauma-informed approach in their teaching." (p. iii).
To learn more
Reports
- National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
- Inquiry publications, such as an engagement guide and literature review, are also available.
- No more stolen sisters, Amnesty International Canada
- Native Women's Association of Canada, Action Plan
- Safe Passage, a NWAC initiative
Books
Videos and podcasts
- Canada must end genocide of Indigenous women & girls now, Pamela Palmater, Mi'kmaq (YouTube, 00:08:26)
- Missing and murdered, CBC podcast, hosted by Connie Walker, Cree (2 seasons)
- Missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada, (documentary, 00:12:59)
- Protect Indigenous women, All My Relations podcast episode, May 5, 2021 (01:36:23)
- Protect our future daughters, directed by Maryanne Junta and Helena Lewis (documentary, 00:05:46)
- Taken, 10 episode podcast in Cree and English, hosted by Lisa Meeches (Anishinaabe from Long Plain First Nation)
Support
Learning about Murdered and Missing Indigenous women, girls, 2 spirit, and gender diverse people can be traumatizing for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners. Please take care, and seek support if you need it.
SFU supports
The Kuu-us Crisis Line provides 24-hour crisis services through the numbers below
- Adults/Elders (250-723-4050)
- Child/Youth (250-723-2040)
- Toll free (1-800-588-8717)
- Métis Line (1-833-638-4722)