Maleyev, who has a business degree from the Asper School of Business and is a business intelligence analyst at MTS, said she was looking to get involved with "a group that wants to focus on social action and women's issues."
Yelena explained that one of the mandates of NCJW across Canada is to increase awareness regarding the problem of Human Trafficking. "National Council of Jewish Women of Canada, and its international body, the International Council of Jewish Women, have established advocacy against human trafficking as a priority campaign," she said. “Trafficking of women and girls is a modern form of slavery. Like slaves, trafficked people are bought, sold and transported against their will, often repeatedly. They are forced into sexual exploitation and servitude through abduction, deception, violence and torture, through the manipulation of fear and threats towards themselves and their families."
Since March 12, 2015 was Manitoba’s second Human Trafficking Awareness Day, Yelena thought it was an opportunity for NCJWC in Winnipeg to hold an event that would "tie in the issues of human trafficking and missing indigenous murdered women ," since "there is a connection between human trafficking and missing indigenous murdered women."
" RCMP Statistics show that there are over 1000 murdered indigenous women in Canada since 1980, and over 160 missing indigenous women since 1980," Yelena said. "Additionally, recent discussions of human trafficking have foregrounded the vulnerability of Indigenous girls and women. In 2012, for example, both an RCMP report and the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking specifically labeled Aboriginal women and girls as having an increased risk of becoming victims of human trafficking."
As Yelena explained, "The We Care campaign was established to engage Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians to take a united and firm stance to ensure the safety of Indigenous women and girls is realized in Canada. It aims to educate the broader public about the serious crisis relating to violence against Indigenous women. The campaign is an opportunity for all Canadians to demonstrate compassion, love and hope. At the same time, it puts pressure on all levels of government to support a national inquiry and immediate action to address this serious issue impacting families and communities across Canada."
"This is both a National and International imperative for us, and NCJWC Sections across Canada, and our international body, ICJW are actively advocating on this topic in their own jurisdictions.
'We are thrilled that Yelena, and her new Young Professional Branch have chosen to take this on. NCJWC , Winnipeg Section is committed to helping members to program in areas they are passionate about. If a member sees an area of need, and has an idea for making a difference, we are there to help make that happen."
To learn more about the Winnipeg Section of National Council of Jewish Women go to http://www.ncjwc.org/sections.php
