Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Mar 31/99) - Women representatives from communities across Nunavut descended upon Rankin Inlet earlier this month to take part in the Nunavut Women's Conference to identify recommendations for the Nunavut government addressing women's issues, including equal representation for women on various committees within the new government.

Gloria Norwegian, the special advisor to the western territory's minister for the status of women, helped facilitate the conference and said there were three main areas of concern addressed during the weekend.

She said the most important aspect of the conference was to give Nunavut women the opportunity to discuss the types of programs and services that will be available in Nunavut and whether or not those programs will work to address women's issues.

"We also wanted to talk about leadership issues, identifying the qualities of leadership required for someone to move up the ladder of success. The third reason was to talk about representation by and to government," said Norwegian.

"When you look at the boards and agencies to be established in Nunavut, for example, various educational boards, youth justice committees, health and social services boards, Nunavut women want to be represented equally on those boards and agencies."

Norwegian said the conference enabled Nunavut women to set their own direction and priorities and they felt good over their discussions.

She said final recommendations to arise from the conference will be prepared in a report and delivered to David Havioyak, the minister responsible for the status of women in Nunavut. The appointment of a senior advisor to Havioyak concerning women's issues has also been announced.

"The top three priorities the women decided on were to establish programs for young people to become leaders, parenting, early childhood and pre-natal education courses, and healing programs for men.

"The women also felt forming a Status of Women Council for Nunavut is definitely a priority and it's extremely important for there to be two community workers to travel to all communities to provide workshops in a number of areas, self-esteem, child abuse, leadership, assault against women and parenting skills."

Norwegian said an interim board was established until Nunavut's own Status of Women Council can be formed, adding there's no time frame in place because a lot of ground has to be covered and work completed before approaching the Nunavut government.

She said she was very impressed by how excited the women of Nunavut are with the establishment of their own territory.

"During registration, their were two elderly women together and, while putting their name tags on, one woman was going to write her name in English and her friend said 'Oh no, now we can work in our own language and do things our own way.'

"They're extremely excited about all the possibilities out there that are achievable. I was really honoured to attend the meeting last weekend. It was something that was needed and wanted by the women in the new territory."