Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two Spirit, Transgender, and Gender-Diverse+ (MMIWG2S+) Peoples 

The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls officially commenced in 2016 with a mandate to investigate and report on the systemic causes of all forms of violence against Indigenous women and girls.

The inquiry released its final report in 2019 that revealed that persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses are the root cause of Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls, Two Spirit, transgender and gender-diverse+ (WG2STGD+) peoples. It delivers 231 Calls for Justice directed at governments, institutions, social service providers, industries and all Canadians.

National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

The National Day of Awareness for MMIWG2S+ peoples is also known as Red Dress Day. It is held annually on May 5 and gets its name from the REDress Project.

In 2010, Métis artist Jamie Black began The REDress Project. The word “redress” means to remedy or set right. It began as an art installation that hung hundreds of empty red dresses in public spaces to remind people of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit women and girls lost because of gender-based violence. Jamie Black’s project gained national and international attention and inspired a movement for change.

REDress exibition by Jamie Black (only available in English)

The Faceless Doll Project, initiated by the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) in 2012, is an art-based initiative that builds upon Gloria Larocque's Angel Doll Project. Its primary objective is to raise awareness about the pervasive issue of MMIWG2S+ peoples in Canada.

Each doll created for the project represents an Indigenous woman, girl, Two Spirit, transgender or gender-diverse+ person who has tragically become a faceless victim of a heinous crime. While each doll possesses its own unique characteristics, their shared facelessness unites them as part of a collective representing the countless victims.

By utilizing art as a medium, the project aims to shed light on the high rates of violence and systemic challenges faced by Indigenous WG2STGD+ peoples, emphasizing the need for recognition, justice and support for these individuals and their communities.

Although Indigenous girls make up a small portion of the overall population in Canada, they account for a much larger number of female homicide victims. Indigenous girls under 18 are far more likely to be reported missing than non-Indigenous girls of the same age.

The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two Spirit, Transgender, and Gender-Diverse+ Peoples found that Indigenous girls are often targets of sexual exploitation and trafficking, with many being lured away from their homes and communities and forced into exploitative situations.

The over-representation of Indigenous girls in the child welfare system is also a significant factor in why they are vulnerable to violence and exploitation. Indigenous girls are placed in foster care far more often than non-Indigenous children, despite representing only a small portion of the total population of children.

Indigenous women are sexually assaulted three times more often than non-Indigenous women, and most of the women and children trafficked in Canada are Indigenous. As well, 47% of Indigenous women or girls aged 15 and older who were murdered between 2015 and 2020 were killed by an intimate partner.

Factors which influence the disappearances of Indigenous WG2STGD+ peoples in Canada include:

• lack of data and attention
• systemic discrimination
• economic marginalization
• stereotypes and biases
• historical trauma
• lack of access to services

Non-Indigenous Canadians looking to help can: 

• listen to, and amplify, Indigenous voices
• centre Indigenous knowledge and perspectives
• empower survivors
• acknowledge and address the historical and ongoing impacts of colonization and systemic racism
• take time to educate yourself on the MMIWG2S+ crisis
• support Indigenous-led initiatives
• donate to organizations that help Indigenous communities
• use your privilege to advocate for systemic change that addresses root causes of violence against Indigenous WG2STGD+ peoples
• support an intersectional approach to addressing the MMIWG2S+ crisis by recognizing and addressing that lived experiences vary based on factors such as age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socioeconomic status