AFN Women’s Council

The Assembly of First Nations Women’s Council (AFNWC) works with the AFN Secretariats to ensure that the concerns and perspectives of First Nations women inform the work of the AFN. Council members hold portfolio responsibilities, including participation in a wide range of panels, presentations and forums that are relevant to First Nations women. The work of the AFNWC has been established and supported by Chiefs-in-Assembly through resolutions 2006-12, 2007-2 and 2009-21.

Key Issues and Activities

Gender Based Analysis Implementation Strategy
Work has been ongoing on the development of an AFN Gender Based Analysis (GBA) Implementation Strategy to build AFN capacity and provide GBA training across the AFN, regions and in First Nations communities. It is anticipated that the strategy will be implemented during the 2011-2014 fiscal years. This will involve proposal development and identification of areas for needed improvement and gaps in implementation, as well as evaluation and monitoring mechanisms to record progress (e.g., a report card), in an effort to effectively mainstream GBA at all levels.

Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women in Canada
The AFN and the AFNWC continue to issue media releases to highlight key issues and concerns of missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada. The AFN continues to offer support to the families and communities that are impacted and continues to advocate for urgent and dedicated attention to address the issue and root causes of missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada. The AFNWC continues to support the efforts of the Native Women’s Association of Canada through the Sisters in Spirit initiative, which calls for solutions to the violence encountered by all Aboriginal women in Canada. The AFNWC has also called for a national strategy and action plan to examine the root causes of why too many Aboriginal women are placed in vulnerable situations and consider approaches to prevent further violence. The AFN and the AFNWC are planning a National Justice Conference taking place in 2011, at which missing and murdered women will be a priority and will be instrumental in facilitating the development of a national strategy. 

Global Mother Divine Organization
Building on previous discussions, the AFNWC has continued to engage with the Global Mother Divine Organization in Fairfield, Iowa, in discussions of collaborative efforts in exploring healing modalities and in looking into community-development projects to create healthy, sustainable communities for First Nations peoples. The Global Mother Divine Organization is the women’s wing of the Global Country of World Peace, which represents 192 countries. In October, the Global Mother Divine Organization invited the AFNWC to attend the Restoring Balance: ‘The Indigenous Grandmothers’ Call to the Women of the World’ conference. Featured speakers at the conference included members of the International Council of the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers, as well as other visiting Indigenous women leaders from around the world. As a result of this conference, plans are underway to empower Indigenous women through the creation of the Indigenous Global Mother Divine Organization. 

Canadian Conference on Global Health
In November, an AFN-led symposium entitled Pathways to Global Health through Indigenous Knowledge: First Nations as Custodians of Natural Law in Restoring Healthy, Sustainable First Nations Communities took place during the Canadian Conference on Global Health, in Ottawa. The conference profiled First Nations and American Indian presenters on the benefits to applying a Natural-Law-based approach to addressing the social determinants of health in creating healthy, harmonious and prosperous First Nations communities. The AFNWC presented on solution-based tools in reducing societal stress in First Nations communities and at large, as well as illustrating the benefits of transcendental meditation as a technique to facilitate stress reduction for health and community wellness. The Maliseet Nation presented a plan to establish the Turtle Island Foundation throughout America with the help of the Winnibego Tribal leader, Prosper Waukon. This foundation will aim to raise the necessary funds through the Clinton Global Initiatives to carry the 5-point plan (health, land recovery, cultural preservation, education, economic development and communications) to fruition throughout North America.

Aboriginal Affairs Working Group
The AFN and the AFNWC continues to contribute to the Aboriginal Affairs Working Group (AAWG) in a coordinated effort with provinces and Aboriginal organizations in the development of a work plan, including timeframes, and scope of work based on the approved AAWG recommendations in the elimination of violence against Aboriginal women and girls.  

Tony Blair Faith Foundation and Belinda Stronach Foundation – Faiths Act Canada
The AFNWC continues to participate in the Faiths Act Canada (FAC) initiative and the Belinda Stronach Foundation in creating opportunities for young women, girls, Aboriginal youth and global initiatives. Faith Acts Canada brings together faith communities and councils to work together on issues of health and global poverty, in order to help achieve the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. 

Looking-Forward Agenda to Annual General Assembly – July 2011 

• The AFNWC will continue to make strides in advancing a culturally-relevant GBA on several fronts, including the development of a GBA Implementation Strategy, and piloting of the strategy in First Nations communities, to be implemented during the 2011-2014 fiscal years.
• The AFNWC will continue to the issues and concerns of missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada and get to the root causes of why so many women have gone missing or murdered.
• The AFNWC will continue to collaborate with the Maharishi University of Management and the Global Country of World Peace and its Global Mother Divine wing in restoring healthy, harmonious sustainable First Nations communities.
• The AFNWC will continue to contribute to the AAWG in a coordinated effort with provinces and Aboriginal organizations to eliminate violence against Aboriginal women and girls.