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Workshop Topics:

• History of Equay-wuk (Women’s Group)
Nishnawbe Women & Self Government - Traditional Forms of Governance, Colonization and Impact on Governance Structures, Current Governance Structures & Self Government
• Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Self Government Initiative
• Increasing Women’s Participation in First Nations Governance Structures
• NAN Equay-wuk Women’s Working Group (selection of eastern NAN Women’s Representative)
• Starting an Aboriginal Women’s Group
• Open Forum Discussions

Equay-wuk (Women’s Group) is requesting for First Nation Councils to make a recommendation of the woman who will be attending on behalf of their community. All travel, accommodations and meals for 1 participant from each community will be paid for and arranged by Equay-wuk - total 21 communities invited.

One women representative from each of the following Eastern NAN Communities will be invited to attend the Timmins workshop:

1. Attawapiskat 2. Beaver House 3. Brunswick House
4. Chapleau Cree 5. Chapleau Ojibway 6. Constance Lake
7. Flying Post 8. Fort Albany 9. Ginoogaming
10. Hornepayne 11. Kashechewan 12. Long Lake #58
13. Matachewan 14. Mattagami 15. Missanabie Cree
16. Mocreebec Council of Cree 17. Moose Cree 18. New Post
19. Wahgoshig 20. Weenusk 21. Whitewater

Please contact your Chief & Council if you are interested in attending.

Background:

Equay-wuk (Women’s Group) is an aboriginal women’s organization serving women, youth and families who reside within Northwestern Ontario First Nation communities. It is a non-profit, provincially incorporated (1989) organization serving aboriginal people from 30 First Nation communities in Northwestern Ontario. Equay-wuk (Women’s Group) is independent from any other women’s group in Ontario.

Since 1999, Equay-wuk has initiated the "Nishnawbe Women and Self Government" Projects. The projects have enabled Equay-wuk to provide workshops on self government to women of the remote First Nation NAN communities.

In March 2002, NAN Resolution 02/04 was passed and states, "the NAN Chiefs in Assembly, direct the Executive Council to set up a Women’s Working Group" and the "Working Group is mandated to provide recommendations to the NAN Chiefs on how women could be included in the Chiefs’ meetings".

On July 31, 2003, NAN Resolution 03/75 entitled, "Representation of Eastern NAN Women in the NAN Equay-wuk Women’s Working Group" directed the NAN Executive Council to work with Equay-wuk to develop the NAN Equay-wuk Women’s Working Group which meant seeking participation of aboriginal women from the eastern NAN region in the Working Group.

The purpose of this project is to provide information to eastern NAN Women on: the history of Equay-wuk (Women’s Group), Nishnawbe Women & Self Government, participation in governance structures, starting women’s groups, the NAN Equay-wuk Women’s Working Group and the selection of an eastern NAN Women’s Representative.

For more information about our organization, our other programs and the Nishnawbe Women and Self Government program, you may visit our website at