Indigenous Women's Association of the Maliseet and Mi'Kmaq Territories Inc.

Published purpose

This 30-month project will support a feminist response and recovery from the current impacts of COVID-19, through systemic change. The Indigenous Women's Association of the Maliseet and Mi'Kmaq Territories Inc. (IWWT) will achieve this by seeking to advance inclusive policies and practices for Wabanaki consultation and policy development at the provincial level for the inclusion of IWWT and the voices of Wabanaki women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples at provincial decision-making tables. This will be achieved by expanding on current partnerships and developing new partnerships at the provincial level, developing and implementing a strategic advocacy plan and social media engagement strategy to build awareness of Wabanaki matriarchal governance and protocols for inclusion, conducting an environmental scan of the provincial policy landscape, developing terms of reference for partnerships and inclusion, creating and supporting Wabanaki Women’s groups at the community level including an intergenerational Wabanaki Matriarch and Youth Council that reports to the IWWT Board, as well as developing and offering training modules and informational materials to build the capacity of Wabanaki women in community. At the end of the project, the organization will have contributed to addressing systemic barriers by advancing inclusive policies and practices and supporting positive distribution of authority, voices, and decision-making power to support women’s equality. This project will bring together Wabanaki women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples with lived experience to learn alongside the Native Women’s Association of Canada and the Wabanaki Two-Spirit Alliance. The organization also seeks to develop new partnerships with provincial agencies, departments and organizations as their strategic advocacy plan and leadership grows.