Recognizing and amplifying the views of those who are excluded is crucial in the effort to create a society that is more inclusive and representative. Among these voices, Indigenous women and Two-Spirit people have long been agents of change and heroes of community resiliency. The Indigenous Women and Two-Spirit Leadership Summit and Campaign School, a ground-breaking program that encourages Indigenous women and Two-Spirit people to realize their leadership potential in the fields of activism and politics, has been launched in recognition of their significant achievements.
In line with this, the first Indigenous Women and Two-Spirit Leadership Summit and Campaign School will be held at Acadia Hall (650 Sackville Drive) in Lower Sackville on Friday, September 22, 2023, starting at 8:30 am to 5 pm. This is hosted by the Halifax Regional Municipality.
The goal of this program is to lessen the structural obstacles that Indigenous women, people of color, and individuals who identify as two-spirited experience while seeking office and participating in local government. This program aims to increase the representation of Indigenous women, gender diverse, and two-spirit peoples on Halifax Regional Council, Mi’kmaq governance groups, and municipal advisory boards and committees by providing networking opportunities and curriculum that is tailored to the special needs and experiences of Indigenous people.
The Halifax Regional Municipality has improved women’s and Indigenous people’s participation in the municipality during the past few years. But there is still a long way to go before Indigenous women, people of color, and others who identify as two-spirited can successfully run for office and thrive in local administration.
The Women’s Advisory Committee of Halifax was established by the Halifax Regional Council in 2019 as a result of the lessons learnt through the Diverse Voices for Change program. With the aim of achieving full involvement of all women in civic and communal affairs by the elimination of barriers and the creation of equitable opportunities for the voices of women to be heard, this committee was established to provide advice on the impact of policies, programs, and services on women.
The findings and suggested solutions presented in the Report on the Task Force on the Commemoration of Edward Cornwallis and the Recognition and Commemoration of Indigenous History were adopted by the municipality a year later.
Following the 2020 Municipal Election, there were an equal number of men and women elected to Regional Council, achieving gender parity. Even though there has been a tremendous improvement, there is still work to be done to remove the systemic obstacles that impede Indigenous women, people of color, and individuals who identify as two-spirited from running for and taking part in local government.
Recent statistics show that although women make up 51.5% of Halifax’s population, they only make up 38% of the members of municipal advisory boards and committees. The proportion of racialized women, including those who identify as Indigenous, reduces to 5.3% when we examine these boards and committees from an intersectional lens. The municipality sought comments from Indigenous women participants after the Diverse Voices for Change Campaign School in 2018. Based on the input given, it was determined that educational programs like the campaign school should be modified to better meet the specific needs and experiences of Indigenous people in order to more accurately reflect their culture and methods of governance outside of municipal frameworks.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Halifax Regional Municipality, the Nova Scotia Native Women’s Association, the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, and the Mi’kmaq Circle of Hope Society have joined forces to operate this campaign school.
More information about this at https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/diversity-inclusion/campaign-school
Reference: https://www.halifax.ca/
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