By Haley Grinder
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Métis Nation B.C. (MNBC) addresses the extensive levels of violence towards women and girls by introducing an innovative campaign: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. The international campaign is being led by the United Nations Secretary-General and United Nations Women, with their collaboration with the MNBC officially announced on Thursday, Nov. 25.
The annual campaign began in 2008 in the hopes of creating opportunities to speak out on the challenges that women and girls face, along with solutions for future acknowledgement. The 16-day-long campaign occurs between the International Day to End Violence Against Women (Nov. 25) and Human Rights Day (Dec. 10).
“Far too many women in Canada live in fear every day. For Indigenous women, racialized women, trans women, women with disabilities, and non-binary people, that violence is even more common,” says Dr. Kate Elliott, MNBC Minister of Women and Gender Equity, in a press release. “The safety of our sacred Métis women, girls, and gender-diverse people is crucial to our Nation. I encourage Métis people and allies alike to thinking about concrete steps they can take to end gender-based violence.”
MNBC’s collaboration will bring with it highlights from their “Thanks for Listening Report,” which is the first piece of written documentation about Métis women’s experiences of violence and survival in the province of B.C. The report was launched on Oct. 4 as part of the MNBC’s “Sashing Our Warriors” campaign, which outlines survey results from 407 survey responses and two focus groups with Métis women and girls themselves.
Region 4 Women’s Representative, Jana Schulz says in the press release. “I believe that every part of our society, from governments, to organizations, to institutions, to individuals, must be accountable and commit to substantive actions that end all forms of gender- and race-based violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.”
