CHILD, YOUTH, AND FAMILY HEALTH
FORCED AND COERCED STERILIZATION OF INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND GIRLS IN CANADA: Understanding the practice and how to end it Prepared by Denise Webb
Forced and coerced sterilization is a horrific and ongoing practice in Canada. It is contrary to Canadian and international law, and it must end (Senate of Canada, 2022, p. 8). Sterilization 1 is a permanent procedure to prevent pregnancy. Common methods of sterilization include tubal ligation (i.e., to have a woman’s “tubes tied”) and male vasectomy procedures (World Health Organization, 2014). Within this fact sheet, sterilization refers to all surgical methods intended to prevent a women’s pregnancy.
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For decades, Indigenous 2 women and girls from all across Canada have been subject to sterilization procedures that were performed either forcibly or out of coercion (House of Commons [HOC] Standing Committee on Health, 2019a).3 When forced, sterilization often takes place during or following childbirth and without the mother’s free, prior, and informed consent.
Coerced sterilization occurs when consent is obtained either voluntarily or involuntarily and on the basis of false, misleading, or inadequate information, generally coupled with the use of threats, harassment, intimidation, or other forms of physical or psychological pressure to influence sterilization (Boyer & Bartlett, 2017; Senate of Canada, 2022). In some
Content warning: This paper may be triggering or cause distress for some readers. It discusses colonial violence, human right violations, and obstetrical violence and harms toward Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse peoples. For support, please reach out to the Hope for Wellness Helpline at https://www.hopeforwellness.ca or call 1-855-242-3310. Please take care while reading. 2 The term “Indigenous” is used throughout this fact sheet to refer collectively to First Nations Peoples, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, as defined under Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution Act of 1982. When referring to a specific Indigenous group, the terms “First Nations”, “Inuit”, and “Métis” are used where relevant. 3 Forced and coerced sterilization procedures affect the lives of Indigenous women, girls, and men (Stote, 2012). To maintain focus and scope, this fact sheet focuses on the experiences of Indigenous women and girls. Further work is thus recommended to explore this issue as it pertains specifically to the experiences of Indigenous men. 1
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