Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

March 23, 2017

Indigenous Women's Divestment Delegation to Norway -- Experiences from Standing Rock

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Indigenous women leaders stand in peaceful direct action at Standing Rock
Dear Friends and Allies,

With the beauty and strength of the Spring Season unfurling in the Northern Hemisphere, the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network is busy organizing and helping coordinate an unexpected, and very special delegation to Norway, in support of and solidarity with Indigenous women on the frontline of the ongoing Standing Rock, Dakota Access Pipeline resistance. We kindly request your support for the delegation and follow-up efforts.

In the face of continued human and Indigenous rights abuses, and action by the Trump administration to push forward and terminate the Environmental Impact Statement for the Dakota Access Pipeline - Indigenous women remain undeterred in their quest for justice and healing regarding the violations occurring through the continued construction of DAPL and other fossil fuel developments threatening their homelands across the country.
 
From March 25th to April 2nd, 2017, the 'Indigenous Women's Divestment Delegation to Norway: Experiences from Standing Rock' will travel to Norway to engage with financial institutions, public officials, civil society groups, press and media. They will participate in a variety of strategic platforms to share their experiences and calls to action, with a focus on continued forward motion in advocacy for full fossil fuel divestment and investment in a clean energy future that respects the web of life.

Several of the world's largest financial institutions supporting the Dakota Access Pipeline and other dangerous fossil fuel developments are based in Norway.

All of the Delegates have been deeply engaged in the Standing Rock resistance effort and other movements to stop fossil fuel infrastructure developments and threats to Indigenous rights, sovereignty, lands and lifeways.

Please click here to contribute to this important Delegation!

"Making Indigenous human rights abuses visible is critical to ending human rights abuses against Indigenous peoples. Indigenous women deserve spaces where they can share their personal testimonies regarding the impacts of extractive industries on their lands, lives, bodies, and human rights. This delegation provides that rare opportunity, for Indigenous women to address issues critical to our life-ways and survival." - Michelle Cook, Diné/Navajo human rights lawyer and founding member of the Water Protector Legal Collective at Standing Rock
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Several delegation members (left to right): Dr. Sarah Jumping Eagle, Tara Houska and Michelle Cook

Delegates include Dr. Sarah Jumping Eagle (Oglala Lakota and Mdewakantonwan Dakota living and working on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation); Wasté Win Young (Ihunktowanna/Hunkpapa of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Former Tribal Historic Preservation Officer); Tara Houska (Anishinaabe, tribal attorney, National Campaigns Director of Honor the Earth, former advisor on Native American affairs to Bernie Sanders); Autumn Chacon (Diné/Navajo writer and performance artist); and Michelle Cook (Diné/Navajo, human rights lawyer and founding member of the Water Protector Legal Collective at Standing Rock) - with the support of Delegate organizer Osprey Orielle Lake (Executive Director of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network, WECAN) and Tanyette Colon (documentary filmmaker).

Thank you for considering making a donation today!
http://wecaninternational.org/donate

For the Earth and All Generations,

Osprey Orielle Lake
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Women's Earth and Climate Action Network

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