This text is part of the special Feminine Leadership notebook
The fight for the rights of indigenous women and girls is a cause dear to Marjolaine Étienne, Innu and president of Quebec Native Women. According to her, the leadership of indigenous women requires better recognition of their rights.
Innu originally from Mashteuiatsh, Marjolaine Étienne has been president of Quebec Native Women (FAQ) since 2021. After a career in community intervention, then in politics, she was selected by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights man to participate in training on human rights for indigenous peoples in 2018. She was then chosen by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, to represent indigenous peoples of Canada and advise Mr. Guterres on the Human Rights Fund. voluntary contributions for indigenous peoples.
Empowerment
Marjolaine Étienne recalls that the leadership of indigenous women is part of their cultural, community and spiritual values. “Women really have a cultural anchor which is based on the traditions and knowledge of our communities, where we also take into account the teachings we received from our ancestors. » An anchor on which it supports its own leadership, focused on the collective dimension. This cultural anchoring goes hand in hand with respect for the environment and its commitment to the fight for equal rights for women and communities. To this end, women play a role in transmitting cultural knowledge and mother tongues, which is particularly “important in our communities, especially [au regard du] context that caused historical trauma.”
The president of FAQ points out that the leadership of indigenous women was indeed present before colonization, the Indian Act and the residential school system. “We still occupy [ce rôle]but we have to make sure we reclaim it more,” she says. Empowerment and leadership are indeed qualities that indigenous women possess inside of them, continues M.me Étienne.
Recognizing discrimination and systemic racism, which some reports concerning Indigenous women highlight, is really crucial, explains the president. This would indeed make it possible to work on the “real [problèmes] “, improve “our living conditions and […] have access to equitable services, like everyone else.” This is what would contribute in particular to the access of indigenous women to leadership positions, she indicates.
Reclaim your leadership
For women to have access to positions of responsibility, they must be able to occupy seats where decisions are made, says Marjolaine Étienne. In her eyes, the leadership of indigenous women has evolved in recent years in Quebec, and they want to reclaim it, maintains the president. Proof of this is that the Women and Leadership training, offered to indigenous women at the School of First Nations Leaders at HEC Montréal, was a real success, according to Ms.me Étienne, who co-created the program. This illustrates their interest in advancing their empowerment, as well as their desire to get involved, undoubtedly with their community or in areas “where we make decisions”, she thinks.
For indigenous women’s leadership to develop, work regarding their rights is necessary. It was at the end of her training in human rights regarding indigenous peoples that Marjolaine Étienne acquired an in-depth knowledge of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Knowledge which is still useful to her today and which allows indigenous people and women to obtain recognition of their rights, she reports.
In 2022, Marjolaine Étienne also co-authored General Recommendation 39 on the rights of indigenous women and girls which was adopted by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The president will soon consult with different nations in order to raise awareness and discuss the Declaration of Indigenous Rights and Recommendation 39.
She is also delighted to have succeeded in mobilizing nearly 160 women from different nations and generations during the FAQ summit in May 2024, in order to discuss and find possible solutions on issues related to leadership, governance, culture, identity, territory, climate change and anything related to socio-economic development.
Assuming a role of “leadership will allow Indigenous women to be even more proud of themselves, of who they are, as a nation [et en tant que] indigenous women,” concludes Marjolaine Étienne.
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