Pauktuutit Inuit Women’s Association

(from the 1984-85 Annual Report of the Pauktuutit Inuit Women’s Association)

The idea for an organization for Inuit women grew out of a recommendation, made in 1975 during a meeting held in Pangnirtung, that the time was right for Inuit women to represent themselves. The founding meeting was held in Frobisher Bay, NWT, in March, 1983, at which an Executive and Board of Directors was elected.

The Inuit Women’s Association is an organization to encourage women to contribute to and participate in development and improvement of their society at all levels.

The aims and objectives of the Inuit Women’s Association of Canada are the following:

1. To unite the Inuit women of Canada;
2. To act and be recognized as the official representative group for Inuit women;
3. To familiarize our children with Inuit values, heritage, culture, and language;
4. To work towards better conditions for all Inuit;
5. To motivate Inuit women to realize their potential as individuals and as a collective group;
6. To promote self-confidence and self-reliance among Inuit women;
7. To encourage Inuit women to take their rightful place in society;
8. To work for the betterment of individual, family, and community conditions through social and economic action;
9. To promote the rights of Inuit women and children;
10. To push for equality of Inuit women in all levels of Canadian governmental/non-governmental structures;
11. To encourage the involvement of Inuit women in all levels of Canadian society: and
12. To encourage communication between Inuit women and all aboriginal peoples.