The following statement was read in the House of Assembly today by the Honourable Pam Parsons, Minister Responsible for Women and Gender Equality:

Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sunday, May 5th as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, also known as Red Dress Day.

The red dress has become a powerful symbol of Indigenous women and girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people who have been taken from their communities, often without justice or closure for their loved ones. Each empty space in a family or community leaves a void that can never be filled.

Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people face higher rates of violence than their non-Indigenous, cisgender and heterosexual counterparts, so this day is also a reminder that we must confront the systemic issues that lead to gender-based violence.

We cannot allow these tragedies to continue and must therefore stand in solidarity with Indigenous communities and support their efforts to seek justice and healing. We also must listen to the voices of survivors and families and amplify their calls for change.

In 2023-24 our government allocated over $1.2 million to support initiatives for Indigenous women, groups, and organizations. This included the Indigenous Women’s Reconciliation Council, Indigenous Violence Prevention Grants Program, the annual Provincial Indigenous Women’s Gathering, and funding support to the Newfoundland Aboriginal Women’s Network.

Speaker, our government will continue to support actions that aim to prevent violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.

Thank you, Speaker.