Canada’s Trudeau Should Step Up Efforts to Protect Indigenous Women’s Rights

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should back up his feminist rhetoric with concrete action on women’s rights – particularly when it comes to protecting indigenous women and girls from police violence, according to the statement of Human Rights Watch.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau must do more to deliver on the promises he made last year to protect indigenous women, specifically from police violence, a rights advocacy group said Wednesday.

This Friday marks a year since Trudeau, a self-proclaimed feminist, took the office and launched an inquiry into the missing and murdered First Nation women.

"But after a year in office, Trudeau’s critics are beginning to question whether he is backing up his feminist rhetoric with concrete action on women’s rights – particularly when it comes to protecting indigenous women and girls from police violence," Human Rights Watch stressed.

An investigation by the HRW in northern British Columbia found that police officers had been using excessive force and sexual violence against indigenous women and girls. It said First Nation women were also overrepresented among homicide victims and their distrust of police left them in a near constant state of insecurity.