The Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) is calling on all levels of government to invest in violence prevention and community‑led healing initiatives in Indigenous communities.
The organization says there’s a noticeable imbalance, pointing out that Indigenous women make up about 5% of Canada’s population but experience nearly 30% of the violence nationwide. They add that some women are 6 times more likely to be murdered because of their Indigenous identity.
ONWA says that gap is being ignored by current approaches. The association argues existing strategies fail to address the root causes of violence, often excluding Indigenous women from leadership roles and underfunding programs meant to protect them from targeted violence, assault, and exploitation.
The group is urging governments to step up with steady funding while ensuring Indigenous women are fully included in decision‑making and economic opportunities.
