12 Aug Real series: Cyndia Mondésir

What are some ways we as a society can improve our treatment of women of colour?

One of the things I love about working with the UN’s Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), is that we advocate for substantive equality. I think substantive equality encompasses equity and equality and should be used widely. It assures equal access and opportunity to everyone, but most importantly, it implements specific needs for certain groups of people, whether they are due to location, culture, gender, etc. I also think a huge piece of obtaining equality is education. We need to rethink the ways we imagine equality, challenge ourselves and the education system. Our education should be more gender-sensitive and should include the intersectional realities that impact the diversity of the woman. With that said, our government needs to get on board and help us tackle the systemic barriers we face as women. I believe that introducing quotas are a good idea in making sure that our decision-makers represent our diverse population. I’m sick of having old white men make decisions for us and our bodies. On another hand, I think allyship is important. Our allies should use their privileges and platforms in order to help eradicate negative beliefs towards minorities. It’s easy to speak up in a non-confrontational way when someone says something racist or sexist. We should all stay informed and help each other spread our positive message. 

What is one cause you feel strongly about?

A lot of people ask me why I fight for women’s rights in Canada. The fact that many people still believe that women are equal to men still baffles me. What gets less publicity in Canada, is the way our government is treating Indigenous women. Indigenous women are literally disappearing and being murdered on a day-to-day basis, and not a lot of people are talking about it. A few months ago, I went to the Cindy Gladue protest in solidarity of her vicious murder. The report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls has found that the treatment of our government is considered a Canadian genocide of Indigenous Peoples. However, our government refuses to acknowledge this. In order for the Canadian government to truly reconcile with Indigenous Peoples, they need to acknowledge their wrongdoings, end violence against women, and realize that they have signed treaties promising to fight for women’s rights and that it is their obligation. Reconciliation does not mean only featuring Indigenous art in a museum, it means giving them back their lands, financial compensation, access to clean water, etc. I have gotten the honour to work with amazing pioneers and female Indigenous leaders but we still need to continue to lobby and make sure that this becomes a mainstream issue. As Canadians, we need to address these issues and acknowledge that we do have problems instead of relying on our positive image.