The Survivors Circle for Reproductive Justice has launched a new educational training program for frontline workers with the aim of preventing forced and coerced sterilization.
The national organization announced the program in a news release, stating it is a direct response to the passage of a federal bill in June, which explicitly criminalizes non-consensual sterilization in Canada.
The news release states the first training was delivered to frontline workers in Alberta on July 28.
“The trauma-informed reproductive justice training will be offered nationally and has been designed to inform about the on-the-ground realities of First Nation, Inuit and Métis survivors of forced and coerced sterilization,” stated Harmony Redsky, the organization’s executive director.
“We want to work with all physician and nursing colleges to prevent further systemic racism from continuing to be a healthcare reality.”
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The Survivors Circle for Reproductive Justice said the training aims to strengthen awareness, cultural understanding and thoughtful engagement when working with Indigenous people and communities. It was developed in consultation with a council of seven Elders and knowledge keepers, survivors and support staff.
“This training is designed to strengthen the public’s understanding of forced and coerced sterilization and its impacts on Indigenous individuals, families, communities and nations,” Claudette Dumont Smith, the organization’s co-chair, stated.
“It provides historical context, survivor-informed perspectives, and practical guidance for engaging with survivors in respectful and supportive ways.”
The Survivors Circle for Reproductive Justice was formed in October 2024 with the mission of advocating for reproductive justice for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people.
It maintains a registry of forced and coerced sterilizations across Canada, administers a healing support fund for survivors, and provides education and public awareness on the issue.
Redsky has previously told Cabin Radio that as more people come forward, she believes there could be more than 15,000 survivors of forced and coerced sterilization in Canada. The organization’s most recently documented case occurred in 2024.
