Indigenous Gender Based Analysis Plus (IGBA+) Toolkit

What is the Indigenous Gender Based Analysis Plus (IGBA+) Toolkit?

The IGBA+ Toolkit was created for meaningful application by federal and provincial governments, corporations, Indigenous communities and Indigenous women, girls, two-spirit and gender-diverse individuals. To implement IGBA+ means to analyze socio-cultural and historical realities resulting from colonization and systemic racism.

As defined in the Toolkit:

“Indigenous Gender Based Analysis Plus begins from the position that colonization has, through several approaches and processes, including the forced implementation of patriarchal, western versions of governance and family-making— contributed to the historic and contemporary marginalization of Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals in specific ways.”

This definition was inspired from the Native Women’s Association of Canada in their explanation of the term ‘Culturally Relevant Gender-Based Analysis.’

MACIW IGBA+ Toolkit

What is the IGBA+ Annotated Bibliography?

The IGBA+ Annotated Bibliography is a decolonized approach to a literature review, a practice that has historically excluded the knowledge, wisdom, ways of being and knowing of Indigenous women, girls, two-spirit, and gender-diverse individuals. The title of the annotated bibliography is ‘Entering the Berry Patch Together: Indigenous Gender Based Analysis Plus Literature Review.’

The term “berry patch” is used in replacement of the term “annotated bibliography”. This berry patch includes reviews of 44 articles that were found most relevant in the creation of the IGBA+ Toolkit. The annotations resist the colonial framing of what is considered a traditional/colonial annotated bibliography. Each article is reviewed in the format highlighted below:

• Berry-Patch article summarized
• IGBA+ definition
• Wise/promising practices identified
• Principles/values to guide IGBA+ identified
• Key quotes/Elders/Youth/women’s words

MACIW IGBA+ Annotated Bibliography

Co-creation of the IGBA+ Toolkit – A “Labour of love”

In partnership with the Minister’s Advisory Council on Indigenous Women (MACIW), Chastity Davis, member of Tla’amin Nation, and Dr. Natalie Clark, with interconnected identities including her kinship with Métis and Secwepemc Nations, co-created the IGBA+ Toolkit. Chastity and Natalie have significant experience working with, developing, implementing, and advocating for the practice of IGBA+. Their experience combined is 40 years (Chastity 15 years and Natalie 25).

MACIW created an IGBA+ working group in March 2021, including three MACIW council members, who worked closely with Chastity and Natalie in the development of the IGBA+ Toolkit. The MACIW IGBA+ working group includes:

• Barb Ward-Burkitt, Fort McKay First Nation, MACIW Chair
• Patricia Barkaskas, Métis, MACIW Member
• Monique Gray Smith, Lakota/Cree, MACIW Member

The IGBA+ Toolkit was created with the support of Chantelle Douglas and Tishan Jones, the Indigenous young women who assisted in writing the annotated bibliography, and Métis editor Robbi Davey, who supported this work.

The commitment and dedication of all the Indigenous women past and present on MACIW created a path in uplifting this work, ultimately leading to the development of the IGBA+ Toolkit.

When using the work of the IGBA+ Toolkit and Annotated Bibliography, we ask that you credit the authors.

For the IGBA+ Toolkit: The Minister’s Advisory Council on Indigenous Women (MACIW), Chastity Davis, Natalie Clark, and Sarah Robinson.

For the IGBA+ Annotated Bibliography: The Minister’s Advisory Council on Indigenous Women (MACIW), Chastity Davis, Natalie Clark, Sarah Robinson, Chantelle Douglas, Tishan Jones, and Robbi Davey.

Honouring Sacred Offering & Dedication to Sarah Robinson

The IGBA+ Toolkit is a part of Sarah Robinson’s [Fort Nelson & Saulteau First Nations] legacy. Sarah was a tireless advocate, activist, Knowledge Keeper, educator and visionary. Sarah invested 6+ years of her life and advocacy to ensure that the provincial government supported the development of the Indigenous Gender Based Analysis Plus (IGBA+) Toolkit. The IGBA+ Toolkit is dedicated to her memory and will remain a part of her legacy for generations to come.