The Gaps in Care Indigenous Women Continue to Face
Indigenous women play an essential role across Manitoba. They guide younger generations, pass down traditions, and care not only for their families but also for their communities. However, the Canadian healthcare system has fallen short in serving their needs and concerns.
These shortcomings are rooted in systems shaped by colonialism, systems that were not built with the intention of caring for Indigenous women’s safety, wellness, and health.
According to a 2024 scoping review, anti-Indigenous racism in Canadian healthcare persists as a widespread problem. Patients frequently report being ignored, treated more slowly, or not believed by providers.
The Weight of History
For Indigenous women, colonization and forced assimilation continue to shape everyday life. This intergenerational trauma contributes to increased risks of substance use, psychological distress, and other chronic health challenges.
Compounding these risks are barriers such as poverty, unstable housing, and limited access to culturally appropriate supports, all of which make healing and wellness more difficult to sustain.
These challenges are reinforced by a healthcare system that often fails to provide culturally safe or timely care. Instead, it relies on a one-size-fits-all model based on Western biomedical frameworks.
Many Indigenous people seeking mental health or substance use care have described these services as culturally unsafe, retraumatizing, or incompatible with their lived experiences, according to research by Smye et al. (2023).
Why “Women-Centred, Culturally Respectful” Care Matters
Intergenerational trauma leaves deep scars that clinical treatment alone cannot address. For Indigenous women, meaningful support must honour culture, family, and lived experience. Yet the current healthcare system often fails to meet women where they are, leading to outcomes such as:
Indigenous women and gender-diverse people in Canada are significantly more likely than non-Indigenous individuals to have unmet health needs.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, many go without a regular healthcare provider, rely on emergency services, or are denied care when they need it.
Weckman and Farrugia (2025) report that Indigenous pregnant women are far more likely to experience harmful in utero exposures, reduced access to antenatal care, and adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth. The authors link these inequities to the ongoing, intergenerational effects of colonization on Indigenous women and children.
The 2019 study Social Determinants of Health Inequities in Indigenous Canadians Through a Life Course Approach to Colonialism and the Residential School System documents that Indigenous Canadians experience significantly higher rates of chronic illness, food insecurity, and mental health challenges than non-Indigenous populations.
This is why organizations such as the Indigenous Women’s Healing Centre and the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre are making a crucial difference by offering culturally grounded care, restoring dignity, and strengthening community in ways the broader system has failed.
Spotlight on Change: Two Centres Making Real Impact
Indigenous Women’s Healing Centre (IWHC)
Founded in 1979 as the Native Women’s Transition Centre, the Indigenous Women’s Healing Centre supports and strengthens Indigenous women and mothers in Manitoba. Guided by Indigenous teachings, values, and beliefs, its mission is to provide a safe place for women to live, heal, and grow.
Since opening its doors, IWHC has provided secure housing and support to more than 20,000 Indigenous women and children facing violence, homelessness, addictions, and systemic barriers.
Residences include:
- North Star Lodge: A 24/7 long-term communal residence for women and their children, focused on extended-family living with wraparound services such as case management, counselling, cultural care, and daily life support.
- Memengwaa Place: Supports families as they move toward safe, independent living after a crisis.
- Eagle Women’s Lodge: Provides culturally grounded reintegration support for Indigenous women involved in the justice system.
Beyond crisis response, IWHC prioritizes long-term wellness and prevention. Programs include addiction awareness and relapse prevention, parenting support, education and skill-building opportunities, and holistic healing that empowers women and children to rebuild their lives.
North Point Douglas Women’s Centre (NPDWC)
Founded in the early 2000s as a neighbourhood initiative supported by the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre has grown into a vital hub of safety, connection, and strength for women and families.
It is a trusted space where women can access essentials such as food, harm reduction services, health resources, and crisis intervention, alongside long-term supports like parenting programs, life skills development, and advocacy.
In recent years, NPDWC has deepened its commitment to Indigenous-led healing. Services are grounded in Indigenous governance and the Seven Sacred Teachings, ensuring cultural knowledge and community wisdom shape both leadership and programming.
The centre is not just a service provider; it is a place to belong and be heard. For Indigenous women and families, it offers a safe space to reconnect with culture, build relationships, and receive care rooted in respect.
From Awareness to Action: Supporting Indigenous Women’s Wellness
Supporting organizations such as the Indigenous Women’s Healing Centre and the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre contributes to healing, justice, and generational strength for Indigenous women. It helps ensure they receive care that honours who they are and supports healing on their own terms.
There are many ways to take action. Donations and volunteering directly support programs women rely on every day.
Sharing information expands awareness and strengthens advocacy, helping push institutions toward care that reflects Indigenous knowledge and community priorities. Most importantly, listening to Indigenous women’s stories and needs is essential to creating meaningful and lasting change.
About the Writer: Nayani Abeysekera is a third-year Life Sciences student at the University of Toronto, double majoring in Psychology and Human Biology. Ever since she learned to write, storytelling has been her favourite way to make sense of the world. Passionate about women’s health, mental health, and community well-being, Nayani combines research and empathy to share stories that comfort, challenge, and connect.
Photo Credit: Image courtesy of @transcanadabycoach (Instagram)
