Program Description

Aboriginal women’s health means more than just physical ailments and illnesses. From a [w]holistic and Aboriginal perspective, health is all encompassing and involves the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical aspects of a person, hence the term ‘wholistic.’ There are many factors that influence the health status of a person such as the environment, social standing, level of education and income. People who live in conditions that are below a certain standard will experience a health status that is poorer than the general public. Many Aboriginal women live in sub-standard conditions as is manifested in their overall poor health status. NWAC, as the national voice for all Aboriginal women in Canada, is committed to addressing and improving their health and, as such, has established a Health Unit that has been and will be working in collaboration with other stakeholders who have a vested interested in improving the health of Aboriginal women in a wholistic and culturally-appropriate manner.

The Health Unit was established and staffed in the latter part of 2005. Since then, NWAC has been actively involved and continues to participate at the national level on many working groups and advisory and steering committees to ensure that the specific needs of Aboriginal women are being included and/or addressed. Some of the files/issues that NWAC is involved in are in the following areas: maternal/child health; diabetes; early childhood development, including the sexual exploitation of children; violence against women; human resources; cancer; and, the health of seniors. In addition, the Health Unit staff is requested to participate and prepare for the National Aboriginal Health Summit that will be held in Winnipeg in March 2008 and the National Aboriginal Women’s Summit to be held in the Northwest Territories in July 2008. 

The Health Unit develops a newsletter that is published quarterly. The newsletter provides the reader with current health information that is geared to Aboriginal women and includes information on various health topics and information about upcoming health events/gatherings that the readers may wish to attend. Health information specific to the work that is being carried within the Health Unit is also posted on the NWAC website under the Health section.