For the third installment of the GWI’s Water Conversations series, we heard from Karen Lawford, Aboriginal midwife and instructor of Indigenous and Canadian Studies at Carleton University, on the topic of water, indigenous women’s health, and environmental violence in Canada.

Dr. Lawford hosted an open-ended discussion, inviting attendees to express their opinions and interpretations. In lieu of a talk summary, we would like to invite you to explore the following resources to learn more on the subjects discussed during her presentation.

International declarations and conventions on the right to water, and the rights of Indigenous peoples

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 64/292: The Human Right to Water and Sanitation

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

The World Health Organization’s Definition and Typology of Violence

Publications on Indigenous Maternal and Child Health in Canada

Health Council of Canada – Understanding and Improving Aboriginal Maternal and Child Health in Canada

“Bodies of Water: Exploring Birth Place and Ceremony in Manitoba, Canada” by Rachel Olson

Resources on Canada’s Water Advisory System

Health Canada – Short-term drinking water advisories: First Nations south of 60

Canadian Water Issues in the News

“Unsafe to drink: water treatments fail on Canadian Reserves” in The Globe and Mail

“Canada First Nations water issues need to be fixed: UN” in Huffington Post

“A look into Nestle’s controversial water bottling business in Canada” in Vice

“The Water Walkers” in Anishinabek News

Join us in January for the next installment of Water Conversations, where we will be hearing from Dr. Steven Cooke on the state of freshwater fish and fisheries, why they matter, and what we can do to preserve them for the future.