May 5th & May 11th, 2023
National Day of Awareness for
Missing and Murdered
Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirited People
Did you know?
Red Dress Day was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project art installation in Seaforth Peace Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, where she hung empty red dresses to represent the missing and murdered women. Red dresses have become symbolic of the crisis as a result of her installation. While Indigenous women account for less than 5% of the Canadian population, they make up 24% of female homicide victims.
In Canada, we recognize May 5th as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirited People (MMIWG2S+). In Indigenous communities, it is also known as Red Dress Day. The day honours and brings awareness to the thousands of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people who have been subject to disproportionate violence in Canada.
One way for Oblates and male Oblate Associates to mark this issue could be for us to participate in the Moosehide Campaign Day, set for May 11th. For more information and to get your moosehide pin as a sign of your commitment against violence against women, visit Moose Hide Campaign | An Indigenous led grassroots movement to end gender-based violence
