Women are pillars of strength in their communities; safeguarding our languages, traditions and transmitting the values that sustain Inuit societies and ways of life. (Inuit Women’s Summit Declaration, October 2025)
Sisimiut, October 2025 – Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) has successfully concluded the first Inuit Women’s Summit, held in Sisimiut, Kalaallit Nunaat. The three-day gathering brought together 42 Inuit women leaders, practitioners, and rights-advocates from across Inuit Nunaat, Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), Canada, Alaska, while four Inuit women from Chukotka participated virtually for a Chukotka specific session during the Summit.
“I am honored and proud that ICC hosted the first Inuit Women’s Summit. The days we spent together in Sisimiut were full of precious and empowering moments. Important bonds between Inuit women from across our homelands were strengthened. As we heard repeatedly during the Summit, women are pillars of strength in our societies, and leaders in every aspect of life. This Summit made it clear how important it is for all members of our societies that women gather to share their intergenerational wisdom and knowledge, and uplift each other,” said ICC Chair Sara Olsvig.
Summit Declaration: a strong advocacy tool
The Summit concluded with the Inuit Women’s Summit Declaration, a historic document reflecting the collective priorities, experiences, and aspirations of Inuit women and girls. Developed through the contributions of the delegates, the Inuit Women’s Summit Declaration outlines concrete recommendations to advance the protection, promotion, and implementation of Inuit women’s rights at national, regional, and international levels.
“The Inuit Women’s Summit concluded with a strong, ambitious and historic declaration, which will serve as a tool for us all as we advance the recommendations brought to us by the Summit delegates. The Summit Declaration is a collective call to action affirming Inuit women’s individual and collective rights, leadership, and safety across Inuit Nunaat,” said ICC Chair Sara Olsvig.
Inuit women’s rights are intrinsically tied to cultural context
The delegates gathered in Sisimiut expressed shared pride in the work and leadership of Inuit women across and beyond Inuit homelands. They celebrated Inuit women who are the cycle-breakers, confronting and transforming legacies of colonialism, violence, and inequality, opening new pathways for healing, dignity, and self-determination for future generations.
The declaration affirmed that the human rights of Inuit women and girls are intrinsically tied to their cultural context and relationships within their communities and called for the full recognition by all governments of the rights of Indigenous Peoples. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples establishes the minimum standard for the survival, dignity, and well-being of Indigenous Peoples, stressing that states and institutions must interpret and implement these rights in a manner that advances those standards.
The obligation of states to recognize Indigenous Peoples and their rights, therefore, has its basis in international human rights conventions, which are binding on states regardless of recognition within domestic laws,as stated by the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in his report on the Recognition of Indigenous Peoples, (Inuit Women’s Summit Declaration, October 2025)
Understanding the cascading effects
The Summit discussions deepened understanding regarding the cascading effect that denying even basic personal security has on other fundamental rights, like access to food, education, and cultural survival. The Inuit Women’s Summit Declaration included a callon all governments to exercise a comprehensive and intersectional approach to fully addressing the root causes of this violence.
The consequences of these violations affect not only the individual woman, girl or gender diverse person but our collective Peoples across Inuit homelands and beyond Inuit homelands. Further noting that the housing crisis exacerbates vulnerability to violence, displacement, and family separation, and must be addressed as an integral part of ensuring the safety, dignity, and human rights of Inuit women and families. (Inuit Women’s Summit Declaration, October 2025)
The Inuit Women’s Summit directed ICC leadership to organize a second Inuit Women’s Summit to take place during the term 2026-2030 and called upon future ICC leadership to convene Inuit Women’s Summits in each term.
The Summit was made possible through the generous support by strong ICC partners, including the Municipality of Qeqqata Kommunia, the Danish Parliament, Pauktuutit – Inuit Women of Canada, the Nordic Council of Ministers, Oceans North Canada, Air Greenland, and the International Indigenous Women’s Forum (FIMI).
CONTACT:
Tina Kûitse
ICC Greenland Kalaallit Nunaat / Greenland
+ 299 34 22 28
Founded in 1977, Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) is an international Indigenous Peoples’ Organization representing Inuit from Alaska, Canada, Kalaallit Nunaat, and Chukotka. ICC is dedicated to strengthening Inuit unity, advancing Inuit rights and interests internationally, and formulating long-term policies to protect the Arctic environment. It also strives for full and effective participation and active engagement for Inuit in the political, economic, and social development of the Arctic.
ICC is a co-founder and a Permanent Participant of the Arctic Council and holds a range of international roles, including Consultative Status II at the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Observer status at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and Provisional Consultative Status at the International Maritime Organization.