FAFIA CEDAW Workshop - Yellowknife, NWT

FAFIA CEDAW Workshop
Yellowknife, NWT

FAFIA’s second northern CEDAW Train-the-trainer meeting took place in Yellowknife, NWT on February 12th and 13th, 2010. Twenty –two women participated in the training.

Over the two days, participants discussed the CEDAW Convention, the review process and how to relate this international instrument to their communities. As well, the group looked at how CEDAW was being implemented in the territory and how organizations and individuals could take an active role in monitoring CEDAW implementation and participate in future CEDAW reviews.

Participants included local advocates, women’s shelter workers, union representatives, women from smaller communities and women from Yellowknife. During the session, participants discussed the rights of First Nations women and the impact of First Nations’ treaties on international Conventions. Local guest speaker, Sandra Lockhart from the Public Service Alliance Aboriginal People’s Committee spoke to human rights, the rights of First Nations’ peoples, women’s rights and their relationship to CEDAW and international Conventions.

Groups in Yellowknife plan to form a territorial watchdog coalition to monitor CEDAW implementation and women’s human rights across the territory. There was particular emphasis on ensuring that the voices of women in smaller communities are heard and that all women had the tools to share information on the Convention to broaden the network of women working on CEDAW monitoring.

Mira Hall from the Centre for Northern Families wrote about the workshop on her blog. Read about her experience at the workshop and working towards women’s equality at “My Multi-Faceted Existence” http://networkedblogs.com/pu8B

Organizations participating in the workshop include:

Native Women’s Association of the NWT
http://www.nativewomens.com/

Centre for Northern Families
http://www.real-eyes.ca/cnf/index.html

Status of Women Council of the NWT
http://www.statusofwomen.nt.ca/

Northern Territories Federation of Labour
http://www.ntfl.yk.com/

Public Service Alliance North Aboriginal People’s Committee
http://psacnorth.com/