Violence against the Earth Begets Violence against Women : An Analysis of the Correlation between Large Extraction Projects and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and the Laws That Permit the Phenomenon through an International Human Rights Lens

This article looks at the intersection between environmental degradation and violence against indigenous women in extraction zones, focusing on extractive industries in the United States. First, the article traces the history of colonial oppression and cultural genocide imposed upon the American Indigenous population. Then the article presents a series of extraction project case studies. The author critiques current United States law and policy that disregards the ongoing disappearance and murder of Native women. She compares the shortcomings of current United States legal principles to international human rights norms and standards. The author recommends changes to government funding, legislation, and consultation practices with Native communities that better align with international human rights treaties and valorize the rights of Indigenous women.