#ForcedSterilizations on #Indigenous women hits international spotlight - APTN News

1.3.18

Forced sterilizations on Indigenous women hits international spotlight - APTN News: More than 50 women have come forward to Maurice Law since July 2017, according to the statement.

“The cases of these courageous women who have come forward make clear that discrimination and biases have operated with impunity to undermine professional ethics and the standard of care owed to every woman,” Lombard said.

She urged the “commission to assist in holding governments and those responsible for decades of force sterilization perpetrated against Indigenous women and girls to account.”

Reported harms of Indigenous women and girls include sterility, mental anguish, suicide, hormonal imbalances and a decreased sense of being valued as a woman.

The statement also includes a number of requests to the federal, provincial governments, health authorities and regulatory bodies like the colleges of physicians and surgeons to root out racial discrimination and provide training.

Health Canada is asked specifically to “ produce an information brochure for health care providers,” to produce “guidance regarding sterilization procedures” and create documents that ensure “proper and informed consent.”