Canada has a long history of harm and human rights abuses against Indigenous land and water defenders who are opposing colonial expropriation and protecting their lands and waters.
STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND 2SLGBTQIA+ LAND AND WATER DEFENDERS.
Canada has a long history of harm and human rights abuses against Indigenous land and water defenders who are opposing colonial expropriation and protecting their lands and waters from extractive and resource development industry projects.
Indigenous women, Two Spirit and gender diverse defenders not only experience criminalization and surveillance but also state-sanctioned sexual and gender-based violence in their attempts to preserve their lands and waters and heal their communities.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), provincial and municipal police and private security services hired by industries, have been known to routinely harass, assault and intimidate women, girls, Two-Spirit, gender diverse people and community members. Resource extraction projects are also directly tied to the expansion of ‘man camps,’ temporary extractive industry labour camps that bring an influx of transient male workers to Indigenous territories. These ‘man camps’ are associated with high rates of sexual and gender-based violence and trafficking experienced by Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people
What else you can do to help
Listen to land and water defender Kanahus Manuel talk about the impact of ‘man-camps’ on Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people and support the Tiny House Warriors’ Mutual Aid Fund.
Support the Wet’suwet’en Nation’s land and water defense Solidarity Fund.
Support the Creation of A Red Dress Alert.
Learn More
Read the Braided Warriors full media statement (2021) “Indigenous Youth Condemn VPD Brutality and Charged Laid for Peaceful Sit-in: Call on Canada to End Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion.”
Read the Assembly of First Nation’s New Report final report from the MMIWG2S+ National Gathering. This report is based on engagements with Indigenous survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people, that took place in February 2023 in Vancouver, British Columbia: “Connecting Hearts and Making Change.”
Top image: Land and water defender, Kukpi7 Judy Wilson (Secwépemc Nation) at a prayer circle in Blue River, British Columbia. Photo credit: Billie Jean Photography
