Work to develop a National Action Plan on Missing and Murdered Indigenous two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual (2SLGBTQQIA+) people is underway.
The BC Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN) is working with the Assembly of First Nations to host regional engagement sessions with family and survivors throughout May and June to gather regionally-based input on priorities for action.
“Over the decades there have been many recommendations about how we can move forward on ending the tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. The purpose of these sessions is to gather and have a strategic, regionally-based dialogue that is action and implementation focused,” stated BCAFN Regional Chief Terry Teegee.
In 2016 the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people was launched. This inquiry included all provinces and territories and the federal government.
The work of the national inquiry ended in June 2019 with the release of Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The report contains 231 Calls for Justice calling upon various organizations to take action to end the causes of this violence.
To address the Calls for Justice, provinces, territories, municipal, Indigenous governments, organizations and communities across the country are now working with the federal government to contribute to the national action plan to instill the necessary change over time across the country.
“I’m honoured to be able to support this work and am grateful for all those who provided their valuable insight into the design of this process,” said Louisa Housty-Jones, BCAFN Women’s Representative.
“I hope these sessions and the report that flows from them can add to the momentum around the Calls for Justice and support immediate concrete action. There can be no more delay.”
The BCAFN will be working with Chastity Davis-Alphonse and Racelle Kooy as co-facilitators, who have designed an inclusive, trauma-informed, and culturally relevant process.
Both David-Alphonse and Kooy have extensive experience in facilitation and community engagement as well are passionate advocates for the safety, health, and wellness of Indigenous women, girls, 2-Spirit, and gender-diverse individuals.
The engagement sessions will take a family and survivors-centered approach that respected the history of activism and work completed to date on MMIWG2S+.
The sessions with family and survivors will take place from May 14 to June 1 and there will also be two other pathways for family members and survivors to share through an online survey and an option to record their input on their electronic device and submit it online as well.
Organizers say this provides choice and alternative ways for voices, wisdom and solutions to be shared.
David-Alphonse and Kooy will co-author a “what we heard” report in early June. This report will capture the input for priorities, actions, and a path forward for the implementation of the 231 Calls to Justice to be implemented in BC and to inform the National Action Plan. There will be two follow-up sessions to report back to family members, survivors, and First Nations organizations, leaders, activists, advocates, and subject-matter experts on June 18 and 19.
This report will then be submitted to AFN to inform the National Action Plan from a BC perspective and will inform BCAFN’s advocacy regarding the implementation of the National Action Plan. The goal is that the report flowing from these sessions will also be useful and empowering to First Nations across B.C. and support community-based action.
The whole process will begin with a pre-engagement session on Wednesday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. which will be used as an opportunity to recap what has taken place from June 2019 to May 2021 with the final report and 231 Calls to Justice and to discuss next steps moving forward.
Visit the BCAFN website for a full schedule of engagement sessions and more information on how to get involved.
