Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, Amnesty International Canada, and the Native Women’s Association of Canada, prepared a joint statement calling for government action to #DefendConsent and end #ForcedSterilization of Indigenous women in Canada.
Pressure is mounting for all levels of government and health bodies, with strong federal government leadership, to address the issue of sterilization without consent with great urgency. On Friday, the UN Committee Against Torture released a report calling on Canada to take immediate action to end this grave violation of human rights. Also on Friday, four questions were asked in the House of Commons on this issue. Today, the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women is holding a briefing on the issue.
Today is International Human Rights Day, the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the end of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign. Let’s mark this day together by calling on governments to end #ForcedSterilizations and #DefendConsent. Amnesty International sent the joint statement in English and French to Prime Minister Trudeau.
Here’s what you can do:
- Make it visible – You can download the statements in English and French. Consider adding the statement to your organization’s website.Click here to download the statement.
- Share the statement – Please share the statement with your contacts in government, with your members and supporters, and your networks. If people receive the statement from multiple organizations, it will only increase the sense of urgency to take action on this issue.
- Urge action – Please urge individuals to sign the Change.org or Amnesty International online petitions.
- Share on social media – Here is some sample messaging you can use.
Sample Tweets:
Statement endorsed by 72 #health, #Indigenous, #humanrights, #womensrights, & #labour organizations calls for urgent action by #GoC to ensure Indigenous women in #Canada are not sterilized without their consent #DefendConsent #ForcedSterilization #cdnpoli
On #HumanRights Day, 72 orgs call on #GoC to #ActNow to #DefendConsent & end #ForcedSterilizations of #Indigenous women in #Canada #cdnpoli
[Organization] is proud to join 70+ organizations to mark #HumanRightsDay by calling on #GoC to #DefendConsent & end #ForcedSterilization of #Indigenous women in #Canada #cdnpoli
To mark the end of #16DaysCanada [Organization] has joined 70+ organizations in calling on #GoC to #DefendConsent & end #ForcedSterilization of #Indigenous women in #Canada #cdnpoli
Sample Facebook text:
[Organization] is marking Human Rights Day by joining forces with 70+ organizations in calling on governments in Canada, with strong federal government leadership and coordination, to take immediate action to end forced and coerced sterilizations of Indigenous women in Canada. #DefendConsent & End #ForcedSterilizations now!
We will keep you updated on the impact of this statement and associated advocacy to #DefendConsent and end #ForcedSterilizations.