Health and Human Rights: Indigenous Health Conference
This conference aims to explore the various challenges that indigenous people face in Canada, and how students and future healthcare professionals can address the needs of this population. In addition to exploring common health issues, we also aim to provide a better understanding of the underlying human rights issues that are tightly linked to indigenous health. The conference will emphasize that the numerous health and social injustices faced by the indigenous people are not simply a problem of the past, and still continue to this day.
There is an ongoing human rights tribunal regarding the longstanding inequalities in First Nations child welfare funding. The discrepancy in funding for indigenous children on reserve compared to children off reserve is remarkable, and during the conference, a physician, a lawyer, and a social worker, who are leading experts in the field, will provide their perspectives in a panel discussion. Raising awareness about this issue is very important, especially at this time, as the final ruling for the tribunal is expected in April, 2015.
The conference will host several keynote speakers, who will discuss indigenous human rights issues in various domains, namely mental health, women’s rights, and the ongoing fight to protect the environment against the industry. Various workshops will provide the attendees with a chance to interact with experienced workshop leaders and gain comprehensive understanding of the history of indigenous people in Canada, the struggles they have faced and continue to face currently, and what can be done now to address these issues.
Please contact indigenoushumanrightsmcgill [at] gmail.com for more information.
