As delivered by Huda Ibrahim
30th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group
Geneva, May 11, 2018
We commend Canada’s long-standing commitment to human rights and implementation of prior recommendations.
The United States recommends the following:
- Appoint a permanent government interlocutor to report to the Assembly of First Nations on the status of the ongoing inquiry into the cases of missing and murdered indigenous women ;
- Arrange a follow-up visit from the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to gauge progress, with a particular focus on MMIW;
- Provide public documentation of consultation and contracting agreements with First Nations.
We praise Canada’s increased efforts to reconcile with peoples of the First Nations, who have historically suffered discrimination. We recognize the government for its strategy to combat gender-based violence and look forward to greater efforts to protect indigenous women in this regard.
In continuing to uphold the trilateral commitment made at the North American Leaders Summit to better address violence against indigenous women and girls, we recommend greater transparency regarding MMIW. Additionally, allegations of Treaty 8 violations have surfaced amid construction of the Site C Damon the Peace River near Fort St. John in northeastern British Columbia.