Indigenous Women

Are you looking for resources about legal issues facing Indigenous women, or organizations that support Indigenous women?

2019 Voting Guide for Indigenous Women, Two-spirit, and LGBTQQIA Voters

2019 Voting Guide for Indigenous Women, Two-spirit, and LGBTQQIA Voters was created by the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) with support from Elections Canada. The voting guide takes Indigenous women and gender-diverse people through a step-by-step process:

  • how to register to vote
  • how to vote if you are a student
  • how to prove your identity and address
  • what types of identification items you can use to prove your identity and address
  • how to vote at the advance polls, by mail or on election day
  • what to expect at the polling station

Along with a list of the political parties, the guide offers a number of tips on how to decide whom to vote for (for example, think about the issues you care about and look at how the different parties address those issues) and provides a section on how Canada’s political system works.

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Aboriginal Law (LawNow Magazine)

LawNow is a bi-monthly digital public legal education magazine which has been  published by the Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta for 40 years.  Its articles  and columns are written in plain language take a practical look at how the law relates to the every day lives of Canadians. In each issue, LawNow’s aboriginal law column takes a look at a specific topic in this area of law and explains it clearly and concisely.

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Elizabeth Fry Society of Calgary

Elizabeth Fry Society of Calgary offers pathways to healing for women, youth and Indigenous peoples who are affected by systemic social issues which contribute to their criminalization.
Services include: Soksipaitapiisin Case Management Table supporting healing plans of those whose charges are heard within Calgary’s Indigenous Court; Restorative Justice and Integration case management supports; Dana’s House Transitional Housing for criminalized and homeless Indigenous women; Youth Mentorship Program for at risk youth, Indigenous Cultural Supports; Volunteer Court Programs – serving Calgary, Lethbridge and some southern regional areas; and Legal Advocacy services including supporting record suspension applications and legal information.
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Hope for Wellness Helpline

The Hope for Wellness Helpline is available to all Indigenous people across Canada. Experienced and culturally competent counsellors are reachable by telephone and online ‘chat’ 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Telephone support is available in English, French, Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut. Online Chat services are only available in English and French.

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Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women (IAAW)

The Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women is a non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of Aboriginal Women and is currently involved in many activities for the benefit of Alberta Aboriginal Women. The IAAW works to achieve social justice for Aboriginal women by: Researching and developing resource materials; Identifying opportunities to participate in policy development and decision making with the municipal, provincial, federal governments; and Challenging and eradicating discrimination of Aboriginal women.

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Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC)

The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) is a National Indigenous Organization representing the political voice of Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people in Canada, inclusive of First Nations on and off reserve, status and non-status, disenfranchised, Métis and Inuit. NWAC works on a variety of issues such as employment, labour and business, health, violence prevention and safety, justice and human rights, environment, early learning childcare and international affairs.

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Support Services for Albertans

This resource, Support Services for Albertans, is a comprehensive, but not exhaustive, list of organizations across the province that provide a multitude of services that compliment the support Legal Aid Alberta is able to provide. The resource mainly focuses on organizations offering legal supports to residents, but also provides information about organizations that provide social supports for some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. This includes, but is not limited to, women in abusive relationships, Indigenous Albertans, youth, and the homeless.

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You Are Not Alone - A Toolkit for Aboriginal Women Escaping Domestic Violence.

Developed by the Native Women’s Association of Canada the toolkit provides Aboriginal women with community safety planning resources to address domestic violence. The toolkit also includes a Who’s Who: Domestic Violence Resource Guide of services available to Aboriginal women in every province and territory.

 

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