Thursday, December 15, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
AKRN - Aboriginal Women's Research Day
Aboriginal Women's Research Day
Date: Nov 3, 2011
Time: 9am-12 noon
Place: N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre
Invited: Anyone interested in hearing about Aboriginal Women's Research Projects
Cost: Free
Parking available at the Market Square
RSVP: crochette@laurentian.ca
Date: Nov 3, 2011
Time: 9am-12 noon
Place: N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre
Invited: Anyone interested in hearing about Aboriginal Women's Research Projects
Cost: Free
Parking available at the Market Square
RSVP: crochette@laurentian.ca
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Upcoming meeting
Kwe Kwe everyone:
I thought I would write and let those that are able to attend meetings of the AKRN know that we are beginning the planning for our next meeting. Please stay posted for details.
In the interim if you have anything to share please let me know.
Sheika
I thought I would write and let those that are able to attend meetings of the AKRN know that we are beginning the planning for our next meeting. Please stay posted for details.
In the interim if you have anything to share please let me know.
Sheika
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Link to (CEDAW) Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women
Kwe kwe:
Please see the link below to the CEDAW. This convention is now part of the UN Human Rights and the committee responsible for CEDAW works from the High Commission Office in Geneva. I encourage you to explore the website but more importantly read through the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women. This is an extremely important convention that works towards women's equality globally.
I attended a one-week training on CEDAW last week. It was excellent--interesting and informative. It also made me realize how women have been denied equality in many sectors of society.
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/
Miigwech,
Sheila
Please see the link below to the CEDAW. This convention is now part of the UN Human Rights and the committee responsible for CEDAW works from the High Commission Office in Geneva. I encourage you to explore the website but more importantly read through the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women. This is an extremely important convention that works towards women's equality globally.
I attended a one-week training on CEDAW last week. It was excellent--interesting and informative. It also made me realize how women have been denied equality in many sectors of society.
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/
Miigwech,
Sheila
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Call into the Night: An overview of violence against Aboriginal women
The Standing Committee on the Status of Women just released this interim report. This study examines the issue of violence against Aboriginal women with a view to provide a better understanding of the causes, the extent and nature of violence, and to provide recommendations on how to address the issue. The committee gathered information from over 150 'witnesses' that included Aboriginal women, Aboriginal organizations, academics, and those working in service organizations that took place between April 2010 and February 2011 across Canada.
http://www2.parl.gc.ca/content/hoc/Committee/403/FEWO/Reports/RP5056509/feworp14/feworp14-e.pdf
My personal comments
As I read the report a number of things stood out:
1. The fact that the Committee was “seized by the urgency of the situation of violence within which Aboriginal women, men and children live daily” (p.3) tells me that there is something terribly wrong when most people do not know about the extent of violence that directed against Aboriginal peoples. As the Committee points out what is equally disturbing is that the committee itself was shocked at the silence surrounding violence against Aboriginal peoples especially women. “It is the silence of those us in the majority who chose to turn a blind eye to this violence—cases of missing Aboriginal daughters and mothers which never make the headlines; epidemics of suicide which don’t elicit an outpouring of concern and outrage from the non-Aboriginal community” (p.4).
2. The report also makes note that the level of violence in Aboriginal women’s lives is pervasive and compounded by systemic and institutionalized racism (p.4). I couldn’t agree more. Based on my own doctoral research with Aboriginal students and professors in the postsecondary educational system racism was by far the most profound barrier experienced by participants. Racism, in my view, is an extension of longstanding and ongoing colonial practices that must be addressed.
3. One point that is made in the report leaves me both perplexed and disturbed and that is the Committee surmises a link between the loss of culture and levels of violence: “The resulting loss of culture was seen as a significant manifestation of violence against Aboriginal women and men. The link between loss of culture and violence was a recurrent theme in all the site visits.” (p.5). I agree to the extent that loss of culture is directly related to ongoing colonial and imperial imposition directed at Indigenous peoples. However, there is a danger in focusing on loss of culture as the problem versus focusing on how the loss of culture has happened to Indigenous peoples. I believe this redirects the focus back on Indigenous peoples as ‘lacking’ and in this case ‘culture’. When the gaze is centered on loss of culture or lack of culture the issue of ongoing colonial imposition gets lost. The next step is to highlight the solution as being an infusion of ‘culture’ when in fact, the solution needs to address the high levels of ongoing colonialism ie: racism and violence.
4. Two solutions/recommendations were put forward and that was (1) to listen to Aboriginal peoples and (2) to focus on more coordinate and holistic approach that are tailored to the needs of various communities (p. 6). A more holistic and comprehensive approach to addressing the issue would include attention to issues such as poverty, housing, and racism. (p. 6). My own personal view is that these are both great statements but again would be cautious on how this might redirect our gaze away from the real issue of ongoing racism and colonialism. Why not just name the issue as one of racism.
5. Another area of the report that was disturbing was the section on the role that child welfare plays in the violence experienced by Aboriginal women. “The committee heard that women who were victims of violence often avoided seeking help from health or social service organizations for fear that their children would be apprehended by child welfare authorities” (p.11). After all that Aboriginal peoples have been through with the 1960’s scoop from Child welfare authorities and the longstanding effects of residential schooling I have to wonder why more isn’t not being done to ensure that Aboriginal women are not re-victimized by the child welfare system. Shouldn’t a child welfare system have as it’s goal to keep a family together and should the system not understand the role that high levels of violence that Aboriginal women are subjected and work towards reducing the violence, building families and keeping families together.
6. Another disturbing fact: “As of March 31, 2010, 8,682 or 5.4% of children living on reserves were in care outside their parental home. This proportion is almost eight times that of children living off-reserve. Also, that number under-estimates the total number of Aboriginal children in care because it does not include…[Aboriginal] children who are in care under the auspices of provincial and territorial child welfare services” (p.13). My question on this is whether we have entered another era of ‘scooping’ as the Committee noted: “The Committee was concerned to hear that ‘there are more first Nations children in child welfare today than at the height of residential schools, by a factor of three” (p.13).
7. Perhaps one area that presented some sense of hopefulness that that the Witnesses emphasized the need for educational awareness at very early levels. “Witnesses told the Committee that the whole mainstream education system needs to change the way history is taught, and talked about the need for ongoing training in Aboriginal awareness for all service-providers, to develop relations of understanding, respect and trust” (p.31). Certainly there needs to be much work done to transform educational systems at all levels to stop perpetuating the racialization of Aboriginal peoples.
Your comments are most welcome.
http://www2.parl.gc.ca/content/hoc/Committee/403/FEWO/Reports/RP5056509/feworp14/feworp14-e.pdf
My personal comments
As I read the report a number of things stood out:
1. The fact that the Committee was “seized by the urgency of the situation of violence within which Aboriginal women, men and children live daily” (p.3) tells me that there is something terribly wrong when most people do not know about the extent of violence that directed against Aboriginal peoples. As the Committee points out what is equally disturbing is that the committee itself was shocked at the silence surrounding violence against Aboriginal peoples especially women. “It is the silence of those us in the majority who chose to turn a blind eye to this violence—cases of missing Aboriginal daughters and mothers which never make the headlines; epidemics of suicide which don’t elicit an outpouring of concern and outrage from the non-Aboriginal community” (p.4).
2. The report also makes note that the level of violence in Aboriginal women’s lives is pervasive and compounded by systemic and institutionalized racism (p.4). I couldn’t agree more. Based on my own doctoral research with Aboriginal students and professors in the postsecondary educational system racism was by far the most profound barrier experienced by participants. Racism, in my view, is an extension of longstanding and ongoing colonial practices that must be addressed.
3. One point that is made in the report leaves me both perplexed and disturbed and that is the Committee surmises a link between the loss of culture and levels of violence: “The resulting loss of culture was seen as a significant manifestation of violence against Aboriginal women and men. The link between loss of culture and violence was a recurrent theme in all the site visits.” (p.5). I agree to the extent that loss of culture is directly related to ongoing colonial and imperial imposition directed at Indigenous peoples. However, there is a danger in focusing on loss of culture as the problem versus focusing on how the loss of culture has happened to Indigenous peoples. I believe this redirects the focus back on Indigenous peoples as ‘lacking’ and in this case ‘culture’. When the gaze is centered on loss of culture or lack of culture the issue of ongoing colonial imposition gets lost. The next step is to highlight the solution as being an infusion of ‘culture’ when in fact, the solution needs to address the high levels of ongoing colonialism ie: racism and violence.
4. Two solutions/recommendations were put forward and that was (1) to listen to Aboriginal peoples and (2) to focus on more coordinate and holistic approach that are tailored to the needs of various communities (p. 6). A more holistic and comprehensive approach to addressing the issue would include attention to issues such as poverty, housing, and racism. (p. 6). My own personal view is that these are both great statements but again would be cautious on how this might redirect our gaze away from the real issue of ongoing racism and colonialism. Why not just name the issue as one of racism.
5. Another area of the report that was disturbing was the section on the role that child welfare plays in the violence experienced by Aboriginal women. “The committee heard that women who were victims of violence often avoided seeking help from health or social service organizations for fear that their children would be apprehended by child welfare authorities” (p.11). After all that Aboriginal peoples have been through with the 1960’s scoop from Child welfare authorities and the longstanding effects of residential schooling I have to wonder why more isn’t not being done to ensure that Aboriginal women are not re-victimized by the child welfare system. Shouldn’t a child welfare system have as it’s goal to keep a family together and should the system not understand the role that high levels of violence that Aboriginal women are subjected and work towards reducing the violence, building families and keeping families together.
6. Another disturbing fact: “As of March 31, 2010, 8,682 or 5.4% of children living on reserves were in care outside their parental home. This proportion is almost eight times that of children living off-reserve. Also, that number under-estimates the total number of Aboriginal children in care because it does not include…[Aboriginal] children who are in care under the auspices of provincial and territorial child welfare services” (p.13). My question on this is whether we have entered another era of ‘scooping’ as the Committee noted: “The Committee was concerned to hear that ‘there are more first Nations children in child welfare today than at the height of residential schools, by a factor of three” (p.13).
7. Perhaps one area that presented some sense of hopefulness that that the Witnesses emphasized the need for educational awareness at very early levels. “Witnesses told the Committee that the whole mainstream education system needs to change the way history is taught, and talked about the need for ongoing training in Aboriginal awareness for all service-providers, to develop relations of understanding, respect and trust” (p.31). Certainly there needs to be much work done to transform educational systems at all levels to stop perpetuating the racialization of Aboriginal peoples.
Your comments are most welcome.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Digital Stories - Intergenerational Effects of Residential School
Kwe kwe:
The Praire Women's Health Centre of Excellence released a series of 6 “digital stories” which were created by 6 First Nations women. Each of these digital stories documents the intergenerational effects on First Nations women whose mothers had attended residential school.
These stories are put together in short videos and include dialogue, music, still images and video. Each story, while different, emphasize the impact that the residential schools have had on women in the successive generations. These short videos are informative, touching, and healing. They provide documentation of the impact of colonial imposition on First Nations women while at the same time show the remarkable strength of First Nations women.
My sincere congratulations to those who worked on this project. These videos are well done and provide us with another alternative to doing research that is meaningful and important to First Nations peoples.
Miigwech! Sheila
To view the 6 short videos follow the link below. This site also has a number of resources on Aboriginal women's health.
http://www.pwhce.ca/program_aboriginal_digitalStories.htm
The Praire Women's Health Centre of Excellence released a series of 6 “digital stories” which were created by 6 First Nations women. Each of these digital stories documents the intergenerational effects on First Nations women whose mothers had attended residential school.
These stories are put together in short videos and include dialogue, music, still images and video. Each story, while different, emphasize the impact that the residential schools have had on women in the successive generations. These short videos are informative, touching, and healing. They provide documentation of the impact of colonial imposition on First Nations women while at the same time show the remarkable strength of First Nations women.
My sincere congratulations to those who worked on this project. These videos are well done and provide us with another alternative to doing research that is meaningful and important to First Nations peoples.
Miigwech! Sheila
To view the 6 short videos follow the link below. This site also has a number of resources on Aboriginal women's health.
http://www.pwhce.ca/program_aboriginal_digitalStories.htm
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Setback for child welfare challenge
This ruling will be of interest to those working/studying in the field of Indigenous social work education as well as those working/studying Indigenous history, law, etc.
Sadly there seems be to recognition of the gross inequities of funding that is provided to First Nations peoples.
Setback for child welfare challenge
Sadly there seems be to recognition of the gross inequities of funding that is provided to First Nations peoples.
Setback for child welfare challenge
Monday, March 14, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Native Women's Association of Canada Announcement (NWAC): Empowering Aboriginal youth as leaders
NWAC has launched a National Youth Volunteer Circle. This Circle will provide a venue for young people to volunteer in various NWAC activities including research, fundraising, project delivery and advisory committees.
This appears to be an excellent initiative to support building capacity of young Aboriginal people in Canada. I look forward to hearing more about it in the future...Cheers! Sheila
http://www.nwac.ca/media/release/17-12-10
This appears to be an excellent initiative to support building capacity of young Aboriginal people in Canada. I look forward to hearing more about it in the future...Cheers! Sheila
http://www.nwac.ca/media/release/17-12-10
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