Last year, Battered Women’s Support Services, held an event on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, 2016, called Breaking the Silos, that focused on the intersection between violence against women and violence against Mother Earth.

Amnesty International has launched its new campaign based on their new report focusing on the safety and wellness of Indigenous women and girls in northeast BC, where hydroelectric, oil, gas, and coal projects are centered.

In Canada, and the America’s –destruction of the land is directly linked to colonization and the violence against Indigenous peoples.  The patriarchal capitalist system is rooted in the commodification and oppression of women and the land. This is evident when we see the high rates of violence against Indigenous women.

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Artwork by John Peipon

There at least 1,200 murdered and missing Indigenous women in Canada. In Mexico, 7 women are killed every day. Guatemala and El Salvador have two of the highest rates of femicide in the world. In October 2016, in Argentina, there were 19 femicides in 18 days. All of these countries have been colonized and are consistently exploited for their resources. Violence against women and the land has been designed and maintained through government law, policy, and action.

Indigenous women are often the leaders of movements on the frontline resisting and confronting violence against women and Mother Earth. We are seeing this currently in North Dakota where Indigenous women and girls are the leaders against the pipeline at Standing Rock.

The connection between violence against women and violence against Mother Earth is undeniable. We stand in solidarity with women all over the world who are confronting violence and protecting the Earth.