Violations of Indigenous Women’s Rights: Brazil, Guatemala, the United States
Date of Meeting: 22 March 2021
Meeting Organizer: Indian Law Resource Center, Alaska Native Women's Resource Center; Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon; International Mayan League; National Congress of American Indians; National Indigenous Women's Resource Center; Native Women's Society of the Great Plains, Reclaiming Our Sacredness.
ISJC Staff Present: Captain Paula Mendes
Reporter: Captain Paula Mendes
Which SDG does this topic cover? 5, 16, 17
Type of meeting: Commission on the Status of Women Parallel Event (Zoom meeting)
Brief summary of presentation of information made
Representatives of indigenous women of the 3 countries shared about their issues of concern, as followed:
- Situation of Indigenous Women in Brazil
- Situation of Mayan Women in Guatemala
- Situation of American Indian and Alaska Native Women in the United States
Although culturally different, there are some similarities in terms of struggles, especially thinking about the COVID-19 crisis, which has affected the whole world, and had an impact on the indigenous peoples, particularly women.
It was especially touching to hear Judite Guajajara (Guajajara Indigenous Peoples), an Indigenous Lawyer and Representative of COIAB, saying that the laws and the way people try to deal with indigenous people is warming, because we tend to see them as just one thing, while there is a variety of ethnicities and peoples that should be respected. There is a lot to learn.
Their recommendation to the UN is point-blank: “We urge the Commission on the Status of Women to continue and deepen its engagement with indigenous women and their rights including, at its earliest opportunity, by designating Implementing Indigenous Women’s Individual and Collective Rights to Lives Free of Violence and Discrimination as a focus area”.
What was of particular significance to share with The Salvation Army globally?
This subject is not often discussed in The Salvation Army World. Maybe it is a group that we need to seek and see with more compassionate eyes. The Salvation Army is present in the three countries that shared their concerns: Brazil, Guatemala and United States. So, if seeking for the rights of the Indigenous women is an issue there, and we identify violations, it should be an issue of concern for the Army too.
Web links for more information
Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center (www.aknwrc.org)
Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (www.coiab.org.br)
Indian Law Resource Center (www.indianlaw.org)
International Mayan League (www.mayanleague.org)
National Congress of American Indians (www.ncai.org)
National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (www.niwrc.org)
Native Women’s Society of the Great Plains, Reclaiming Our Sacredness (www.nativewomenssociety.com)
Tags: SDG16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, SDG5: Gender Equality, SDG17: Partnerships for the Goals