A new report from the Canadian National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls calls for justice the systemic murder and disappearance of women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual)

The first volume provides background and personal stories on the research and the victims. The report highlights previously unknown statistics including that indigenous women and girls are 12 times more likely to be missing or murdered than any other women in Canada and 14 times more likely than Caucasian women. The report also highlights that indigenous women and girls are 25 percent of homicide victims. These stats are alongside stories of some 1,000 victims, victims’ families and tribal elders, which were collected in the course of the inquiry.

The second half of the first volume makes calls for justice on the basis of the findings. The report calls for decolonization and an end to marginalization of First Nations. The report calls on Canada to develop a State Action Plan to address violence and abuse as well as the economic and housing problems confronting the First Nations. The report also call for indigenous peoples to be involved in the drafting of such a plan. The Inquiry developed a separate Volume 2 to address Quebec specifically.

The Inquiry was initiated in 2016 under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership. Trudeau has acknowledged that the conclusions of the Inquiry are unpleasant, but has pledged to stand by indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people to enact changes from the report.