Canada: Organization of American States Criticizes Failure to Stop Violence Against Indigenous Women

Canada has failed to protect indigenous women from high rates of violence, murder and disappearance, according to a recent report released by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States (OAS). The report, “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in British Columbia, Canada,” found that Canadian law enforcement systematically failed to investigate violence against indigenous women, leading to widespread impunity for these crimes. The report called on Canada to address the “root causes” of the extremely high rates of violent crime against indigenous Canadian women, including historical discrimination, segregation, poverty and neglect.

Compiled from: Galloway, Gloria, Rights group presses Harper for inquiry into murdered aboriginal women, The Globe and Mail (January 12, 2015).