The National Congress of American Indians
Resolution #TUL-13-011
TITLE: To Support Adequate Funding for Tribal Coalitions Providing VAWA Related Technical Assistance to Indian Tribes
WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and
WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and
WHEREAS, American Indian and Alaska Native peoples acknowledge and honor the sacred role of women within tribal societies and have historically respected and protected the right of women to live free of violence or the threat of violence; and
WHEREAS, American Indian and Alaska Native women are battered, raped, stalked and murdered at far greater rates than any other population of women in the United States; and
WHEREAS, reports of missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Native women are inadequately responded to and many of these women are victims of VAWA related crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence and sex trafficking; and
WHEREAS, Indian Tribes and service providers require access to culturally appropriate and specific training, technical assistance and resources that reflect a thorough understanding of tribal jurisdiction in order to respond effectively to violence perpetrated against American Indian and Alaska Native women; and
WHEREAS, Tribal Coalitions as regionally based tribal experts representative of their respective membership and tribal service program areas are uniquely qualified and situated to offer culturally specific training, technical assistance and resources to assist Indian Tribes to provide the most appropriate response to violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women; and
WHEREAS, in order for Tribal Coalitions to provide the critical training and technical assistance services to American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages, Tribal Coalitions must be funded at an adequate level to provide for ongoing growth and development; and
WHEREAS, disparities in funding between State Coalitions and Tribal Coalitions persist and have prevented Tribal Coalitions from growing and developing despite the well-documented need in tribal communities.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the NCAI does hereby recognize the vital role that Tribal Coalitions play in addressing violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and the leadership role the Tribal Coalitions have played in the work of the NCAI Task Force on Violence Against Women; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCAI will support actions that strengthen the ability and capacity of Tribal Coalitions to meet the needs of Indian Tribes and tribal programs as they enhance their response to violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and develop services to assist Native women including:
1. Advocate for adequate funding for Tribal Coalitions to allow for needed stability and growth and to address the current disparities between State and Tribal Coalitions;
2. Working to ensure that any programs created to provide funds to Tribal Coalitions are administered on an annual basis and are not competitive in nature, as required under the Violence Against Women Act of 2013;
3. Supporting the appropriate inclusion of Tribal Coalitions in meetings regarding violence against Native women, including NCAI meetings and the annual Tribal Consultation meeting required by VAWA; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.
CERTIFICATION
The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2013 Annual Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Cox Business Center from October 13-18, 2013 in Tulsa, Oklahoma with a quorum present.
President
ATTEST:
Recording Secretary