May 5 is Red Dress Day in Canada and the USA.

Also known as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit+ (MMIWG2S). Started in 2010 by Métis artist Jaime Black, Red Dress Day is a movement to educate and raise awareness of the systemic injustices that contribute to violence against Indigenous women and girls. What started as an art installation soon evolved into a movement. Indigenous Peoples, allies, and advocates embraced the symbolic red dress as a rallying cry for awareness and action.

Red Dress Day aims to honor the lives lost and demand justice for the victims and their families. Currently, Indigenous women make up 16% of all femicide victims and are 6 times more likely to be murdered than their non-Indigenous counterparts. Despite widespread expressions of concern from national and international human rights authorities, only two out of 231 Calls for Justice from the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls have been implemented so far.

In 2023, the Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples and the Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery expressed deep concern over the high rates of sexual assault, exploitation, and sex trafficking experienced by Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people near temporary resource extraction labor camps associated with pipeline construction sites.

Take Action: You can sign an e-action demanding Canada to protect the rights of Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ land and water defenders.
Let’s continue to raise awareness and work towards justice for those affected by this critical issue.

Red Dress Day Colouring Sheets