Ottawa, ON – On Saturday January 19, 2019, the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) will gather on unceded Algonquin territory to participate in the 2019 Ottawa Women’s March. This year, NWAC will lead the march behind drummers from the Assembly of Seven Generations, a youth-led non-profit organization focused on cultural support and youth empowerment, and the Ogimaakwewak Singers.
The Ottawa Women’s March takes place on the same day thousands of people will rally in the streets throughout Canada and the world. The Women’s March is an annual global movement to raise awareness and advocate for legislative and policy changes concerning women’s rights, Indigenous rights, reproductive rights, environmental issues, 2SLGBTQ+ rights, racial equity, and more.
This year, NWAC marches to put an end to violence against women and girls. Due to the history and ongoing practice of colonization in Canada, Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse people experience disproportionate rates of violence. This must end.
For decades, NWAC worked to draw attention to the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) crisis and advocate to end violence against Indigenous women and girls. Any progress made in 2018 is not enough. There is still so much work to be done to achieve safety and justice for MMIWG and their families.
NWAC acknowledges the interconnected nature of our struggles, and looks forward to marching alongside other organizations, individuals, and allies working to create positive change in their communities.
It’s 2019. It’s time we #StopDiscriminating. It’s time all women are heard. It’s time to march. Join the #WomenOfNWAC in our march for equality.
