3 November 2006. The International Indigenous Women’s Forum, FIMI (Foro Internacional de Mujeres Indigenas) has released a companion report to the Secretary General’s report on violence against women. This companion report, Mairin Iwanka Raya: Indigenous Women Stand Against Violence, was submitted to the United Nations on 17 October 2006 and was created to ensure that the voices of indigenous women were heard on the issue of violence against women. The 72-page report presents an indigenous view of gendered violence in an attempt to bridge the gap between the indigenous and global women’s movements. The separation between the two movements hinders them from achieving the same level of equality because they are currently not working together; by joining forces, the indigenous movement hopes to make the same strides as the international community. The report offers analysis and strategies for achieving those ends.
Compiled from International Indigenous Women’s Forum, FIMI Releases Report on Violence against Indigenous Women, available http://www.madre.org/fimi/intadvocacy/vaiwreport.html.