Ontario Native Women’s Association
About Ontario Native Women’s Association
Founded in 1971, the Ontario Native Women's Association (ONWA) serves Fort William First Nation, ON and Indigenous communities throughout Ontario as a beacon of empowerment and support for Indigenous women and their families. At its core, ONWA celebrates and honors the safety, healing, and leadership of Indigenous women and girls as they reclaim their roles as matriarchs within families and communities, both locally and internationally.
ONWA's mission centers on four foundational principles: RECLAIM Indigenous women's inherent leadership roles, RESTORE their identity and rights beyond jurisdictional boundaries, RECONCILE relationships to ensure safety regardless of location, and RECOGNIZE Indigenous women as the medicine needed to heal families and communities. The organization operates with a distinctive circular model that places Indigenous women at the center, reflecting the interconnectedness and shared responsibility of all team members working toward a unified vision.
With inclusive practices welcoming all self-identifying Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people, ONWA addresses systemic barriers through culturally grounded services. The organization's work spans from direct community support to provincial advocacy, ensuring Indigenous women have access to justice, education, health services, and economic opportunities. By combining traditional Indigenous wisdom with contemporary programming, ONWA insists that all women, regardless of tribal heritage, can live their best lives while contributing to the preservation and celebration of Indigenous culture, identity, and heritage across Ontario.