The Social, Economic and Political Challenges Aboriginals Face in the Welfare System
Introduction
The Canadian indigenous society has been subjected to many difficulties for centuries now. Most of the indigenous persons are forced to commit and overcome enormous and unending challenges for the sake of their community and the nation in general. Modernization has not spared them either and even today most of the indigenous persons and particularly women and children are disadvantaged in the nation (Linnit 1). Based on statistical reports most of the indigenous persons are characterized by poor health, lack of schooling opportunities, short life anticipation, reduced employment choices and existence in poor conditions and remote locations. Along with all the issues they are additionally subjected to negative perceptions held by the society. The Canadian government and the existing system has done so much in ensuring that there is wellness among the groups but more needs to be done (Linnit 1). It is clear that the current welfare system has failed the Aboriginal people as their cultural perspectives, cultural safety, and cultural competencies are not represented adequately in the welfare system.
Aboriginal persons play an essential responsibility in the formative history of Canada as well as its cultural identity (Roache 1). The national Aboriginal populace is made up of approximately 1.4million persons by three main groups. These groups are the Inuit, the Northern American Indians and Metis (Roache 1). All the groups posses different cultural traditions as well as distinct languages in their appropriate authorities. More recently, there has been adequate reports supply in regard to the issues being faced by Aboriginal persons within the Canadian welfare system.
The slashing of the children programs in the context of welfare without a guarantee of a comeback is one of the primary issues faced by Aboriginal people. Indigenous approaches are projects that are administered by indigenous persons and they are designed to fill the existing gaps in Family Developments Child Programs and the Ministry Of Children particularly for the Aboriginals families. The projects began in the year 2009 with an allocation of 600,000 dollars every year (Roache 1). The communities were given assistance programs for families and cultivation in order to fight hunger as well as offering training to the groups of social workers who would in turn assist indigenous families with dialogues based on the cultures sensitivity. However with the mishandling of funds over the last six or so years since the foundation of the projects it proved to be rather challenging for auditors in establishing the expenditure of all the funds (Flanagin 1). The mismanagement reports have resulted into the cut of most of the welfare programs based on the lack of effectiveness in those programs. Children and family development ministry has been working of the design of templates to run the different programs which will also be utilized in aids enquiries. The restoration of the programs can be characterized as heart breaking because of the lack of appropriate communication and follow up among the involved parties. This has thus exposed indigenous children to cultural sensitivity and negative perception held by the state’s citizens (Roache 1).
In addition the general number of the missing indigenous women unresolved cases is on the rise. Based on the recent report from the investigation conducted by the NWAC it has been established more than eight hundred women have be on a miss or even murdered since the year 1990 (Roache 1). Most of the missing women are unidentified and probes investigations have been filed for at least 400 hundred women. This is an abuse of both gender and culture since the graves of such persons will exists with marks. The rationale behind the high rate of unresolved cases is particularly blamed on the inaction by police forces. Most of the indigenous women were and are overwhelmed by some sensitive matters that involves domestic violence, mental illness and addiction. Since they belong to a minority group their urgency is not in existence in the system (Flanagin 1). This therefore, demonstrates the fact that the welfare system fails to incorporate the issues and the needs of indigenous women which is a form of insensitivity and incompetence.
Unequal access to healthcare in the Canadian system is an additional issue that indigenous people are faced with. It is clear that first nations’ people are more likely to acquiring chronic illnesses, mental illnesses and HIV/AIDS as compared to the other nations (Linnit 1). Based on UNICEF’s report which was released on 2009 it was established that Aboriginal children have a double vulnerability of hospitalization for illnesses that can be prevented. However the welfare system and the Canadian government is on the highest care denial based on the governmental worry of the coverage payments (Linnit 1). It is not reasonable and it is rather ironic that the government is designed and emphasis of the provision of quality care for all yet the services still remains to be inaccessible for aboriginal persons. Indigenous persons are characterized by the poorest health and the highest rate of mortality. Some efforts have been made recently in offering education in the context of health problems to the Aboriginal communities but the communities are still at the highest vulnerability for deaths and illnesses. In these particular communities heart and chronic illnesses such as diabetes are on the rise. There is a direct association which can be demonstrated amid health, income and social forces. In comparison to the non indigenous children Aboriginal children holds a higher rate of respiratory issues as well as infectious issues. This is mainly influenced by poor and inadequate housing as well as overpopulation in their communities (Linnit 1).
Indigenous persons and children particularly are forced to access an education system that is characterized by lowness. Colonialism can be described as an account for most of the uncomforting and bitter legacies and the core enveloping of them all being education. The welfare fails in taking charge of the situation to incorporate better systems to equip the group with adequate knowledge as well as expertise that is required in the modern society (Roache 1). This specific system began as a national assimilation experiment with the system of Residential Indian Schools. Based on Canada’s statistics that for the year 2011 , only 22 percent of the Aboriginal persons had the privilege of having completed post secondary and high school education (Roache 1). In the last twenty years education among the group has risen but its indication is very low which is an indication of inefficiency of the welfare system in incorporating their education needs.
Moreover the group is subjected to poor and crowded housing. This condition should never have lasted longer if the welfare system took effect and achieved its objectives (Flanagin 1). The system has failed generally. With such conditions families are exposed to vulnerabilities of diseases since they housing situations differs greatly with the rest of the nation’s. with the low access to care and less knowledge in regard to health matters the group is characterized with high rate of deaths. In particular women and children suffer the most since most of them are forced to exist without any form of care. The system has failed since it is responsible for creating and enhancing the wellness of the group through the provision of programs to address such matters (Flanagin 1). However, their needs are overlooked by the system which is highly grounded of the misuse of funds rather than care.
Most women, from the indigenous group are not educated which is influenced on the lack of cultural diversity embracing. Aboriginal people are highly unemployed since history as compared to the rest of the groups. The number of adults from the Aboriginal communities who are not employed accounts to 15 percent as compared to the 7.5 percent of the non indigenous persons in the state (Flanagin 1). This accounts to their low income status and poor existence conditions. There is a high earning gap in the state and it is estimated that if the gap will not be handled with further measures it may take more than sixty years to solve the issue. For instance in 2010, the middle Aboriginal earner was only 20,700 dollars while the non native accounted for 30, 100 dollars (Flanagin 1).
The justice system of Canada has been regarded to be unjust for the indigenous persons for decades now. However, even with the report very little has been done in handling the issue. Abioriginal persons demonstrate the highest incarceration rate in Canada till today. This therefore hinders their ability to participate in social or even economic activity to improve their living status. Aboriginal incarcerated population increased by more than 20 percent amid the year 2009 up to 2014 (Flanagin 1). The statistics are depressing since indigenous women depicts 34.5percent of the general female gender in the prisons while the male represent more than 22 percent of the respective gender (Flanagin 1). This is a high population who are being denied their legal freedom based on the fact that they come from a small group. Aboriginal adults are only a representative of 3 percent of the general population in the state (Flanagin 1). This means that most of the productive persons from the communities are in prison thus lagging development behind.
There are higher death amidst youths and children due to the occurrence of unintended injuries and illnesses. This is based on the fact they live on poor amenities and the exposure to communities that are characterized by low generation of income (Miller 6). In addition the group is characterized by higher rates of suicidal due to stresses and depression. Youths from the group commit more suicide as compared to the rest of the groups. Housing is an additional issue faced by the group. Most of the housing for the indigenous groups are termed and therefore requires repairing. Indigenous persons are normally overrepresented in the justice system and particularly the criminal one. The high rate of crime is mainly fueled by the impacts the poor schooling system , poor experience in the welfare system for children, dislocation as well as dispossession of the groups. Cultural diversity is not well incorporated in the welfare system. Cultural factors normally influence the social situations. Culture is a essential part of maintaining and learning a stronger ethnic distinctiveness (Scott 11). The welfare system does not support the competency, safety as well as perspectives since the traditional values like being uncompetitive, and sharing hinders cultural support and this creates conflict with other values which brings challenges to the integration matter. While the issue of promoting integration may not be the primary objective of the welfare’s system, the revival and encouragement of some of those cultural values. This may primarily lead to the development of social situations via indigenous self commitment initiatives (Coates and Hetherington 240).
There is less progress that has been obtained in regard to the development of social conditions. However, the existing gaps that is in between the economic and social conditions of the indigenous persons in Canada which posses more difficulties (Arch, Repucci, Dunham, Bret and Roylance 125). The welfare system is highly required to design as well as implement a system that suits the needs of the minority groups. This is to ensure that they are well included in the system without discriminating or ignoring their cultural perspectives. The system and programs should have the ability to embrace cultural diversity by eliminating language and perception hurdles. The current system does not adequately represent the indigenous persons since they continue to suffer from poor education, unemployment, poor care, poor housing and injustice that is conducted by the system (Arch, Repucci, Dunham, Bret and Roylance 125). Women and children are characterized by special requirements which are ignored by the existing system.
The wellness of persons is determined by the integration of social conditions which incorporates income, health, education, employment and cultural (Sissons 114). The dispossession of cultural perspectives and diversity , social inequalities, discrimination and prejudice have attributed to the main difficulties facing the Aboriginal persons in the state (Sissons 39). The welfare system should try and implement community based approaches which stresses the significance of culture, values and unique characteristics. The welfare should try and establish the association amid governance and economic growth and the responsibility of traditional economies for the indigenous community as a minority group.
Conclusion
Aboriginal are Canadian native people and thus they should never be considered as minority. Their contributing towards the state’s growth and its history is one that can never be understated. The group is subjected to a non fitting culture, social standards, healthcare and education system which needs to change. The welfare system has the obligation of enhancing every individuals wellness and this should not exclude the indigenous persons. The system is characterized by high discrimination that does not account for the needs of the group as urgent. With poor living conditions, unemployment, poor healthcare access, poor education and low income that characterizes the group this is a clear depictions that their need are not represented. In addition, the system lacks the integration of cultural diversity which would eliminate the negative perception held by persons in the community and improve the general living standards. Cultural participation, perspectives, diversity, competency and safety should be offered under the system through implementing an inclusive system and favorable programs for all persons. Programs and particularly those that are aimed at development and enhancing the wellbeing and abilities of children for a better future for the communities. The future lies on higher employment and they therefore need a system that includes them and suits their cultural perspectives.
References
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