Delegation educates UN official on violence against Native women

A delegation of Native women's organizations met with Doudou Diéne, the Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, during his visit to the United States in May.

Native women face the highest rates of violence of any group in the United States.  The delegation, led by Jacqueline Agtuca of Clan Star, Inc., informed the Special Rapporteur about how the current jurisdictional scheme in the United States greatly limits tribal criminal jurisdiction, discriminates against Native women and leaves them vulnerable to sexual and domestic violence. 

Doudou Diéne and Jacqueline Agtuca.

The Special Rapporteur expressed interest and concern about this issue, requested more information, and promised to include it in his report to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The meeting emerged out of a continuing collaboration among the Indian Law Resource Center, Clan Star, Inc., and the NCAI Task Force on Violence Against Native Women. 

Terri Henry, Principal Director of Clan Star, Inc., learned of the Special Rapporteur's visit and suggested that a delegation meet with him to follow up on the coalition's earlier submissions on violence against Native women to the International Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in February.  In less than a week, the collaborators had secured a place on the Special Rapporteur's itinerary, located representatives to meet with him, and drafted a briefing paper to submit to him.

The coalition plans to continue to work together to raise the issue of violence against Native women on the international level. The Indian Law Resource Center will take the lead in developing an international advocacy strategy.