The Continental Network of Indigenous Women of the Americas was held in mid-November in Guatemala City.
More than three hundred indigenous leaders from North, Central and 麻豆视频 America gathered at what was the seventh such Conference. Among those attending were 17 Canadians including Judy Hughes of Yorkton who attended as a delegate for the Native Women鈥檚 Association of Canada.
The meeting celebrated twenty years of history for the Continental Network of Indigenous Women of the Americas, ECMIA, a network that includes more than 30 indigenous organizations from among 20 countries in the Americas.
Hughes said Canada holds a special prominence at the meeting.
鈥淐anada is one of the major players. They see us as so far ahead,鈥� she said.
That reputation expanded with the new federal government announcing it would launch an inquiry into murdered and missing aboriginal women.
鈥淲e know we are getting the inquiry,鈥� said Hughes, adding women鈥檚 group will need to remain vigilant in watching how the inquiry plays out, as well as working to make sure any recommendations out of the inquiry are follow-up.
鈥淲e have to remain vigilant that there is implementations of any recommendation 鈥� that come out of the inquiry.鈥�
Violence against indigenous women and children is not a uniquely Canadian issue. Hughes said it was a major area of discussion at the Conference.
鈥淚t was the highest priority,鈥� she said. 鈥淰iolence against indigenous women and children is very high.鈥�
In that regard there are similarities to the issue in Canada, so there was full support at the Conference for the inquiry in this country.
鈥淗aving the inquiry happen is milestone,鈥� said Hughes, which could be the start of a larger look at the issue for indigenous people around the world.
There are however more issues to deal with in many countries in terms of dealing with the murders and violence.
鈥淭here is involvement of police in some countries,鈥� said Hughes.
When police are part of the violence there is the problem women and children face in finding a place to go for safety, offered Hughes.
In terms of the inquiry Hughes said they have a lot to deal with in Canada. It is estimated there are now nearly 1200 First Nations women and children known to have been murdered, or are missing.
Determining some of the causes is critical.
And those causes go beyond socio-economic factors, said Hughes.
鈥淩acism and discrimination are a key element in the heightened violence that we see,鈥� she said, adding racism 鈥渟eems to be pretty pervasive鈥� in Canada.
It鈥檚 to the point many people may not see themselves as racist, but that discrimination is nearer the surface than most want to admit, offered Hughes.
鈥淎boriginal people are seen as less than human,鈥� she said.
Along the same lines Hughes said the Conference discussed human rights in great detail, in particular from the perspective of the 2007 release of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
鈥淥nce human rights are in, everything else should fall into place,鈥� said Hughes.
But the UN document while being supported in principle has not been adopted or actively practiced in the countries attending the Conference.
Hughes said at least in Canada the Constitution entrenches First Nations rights and women鈥檚 equality.
