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Open letter to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Canada: There is no time like the present to build a pan-Canadian system of child care
Now is the time to lay the groundwork for the construction of a system of child care, as you promised Canadians in the last federal election. You and other federal ministers have publicly acknowledged the importance and centrality of child care. In fact, the pandemic experience has made it clear to all that child care is essential in bad times and good. What is required now is for the federal government to fund and expand child care as a principal piece of Canada’s social infrastructure going forward.…
NAWL signs letter on the use of a restorative approach to an inquiry into the Nova Scotia mass shooting
We write to you as directors and leaders of organizations across Canada that work to eliminate or reduce domestic violence, sexualized violence, and other gender based violence. We were shocked to see media reports that the launch of an inquiry into the April, 2020 massacre in Nova Scotia was being held up by an attempt to graft a ‘restorative approach’ onto the traditional federal-provincial public inquiry. We wish to express our grave concern about, and opposition to, the use of any process for the federal-provincial response to the Nova Scotia mass shooting which is not fully open and public or which does not mandatorily compel the pertinent institutions and state actors to provide relevant information.…
Canada must protect the rights of sex workers during COVID-19 by ensuring access to emergency income supports
Thank you for your steadfast commitment to women’s rights and gender equality, including your prompt action to mobilize funding to address the gendered impacts of the pandemic. We write at this time to urge that—further to your mandate to ensure that GBA+ is conducted of all government decisions—you ensure that sex workers and other women and gender diverse people working in informal economies and criminalized contexts, are not left out of the COVID-19 response.…
Letter sent by NAWL to the Prime Minister from women’s rights and equality seeking groups on feminist policy making in the context of COVID-19
It is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has far-reaching and long-term gendered impacts. Women are front and centre when it comes to the impacts of and responses to the pandemic. From increased risk of violence in abusive homes under lockdown to expanded caregiving for children out of school and at-risk vulnerable adults to a majority presence in front-line health care, social and other service sectors, women are taking on many additional burdens in this crisis.…
NAWL and CRIAW Proposal for Support to Equality Seeking Women’s Groups in Canada during the COVID-19 Pandemic
In order to ensure that women and girls, their families and communities who need assistance most will be included in, and benefit from federal responses to the pandemic, it is imperative that there be a robust and systematic application of an intersection feminist analysis of the impacts of COVID-19 on women and girls, and of existing and potential policy and budgetary responses to it. The limited COVID-19 responses designed specifically for women, have focused entirely on the critical services that women’s shelters and sexual assault centres provide. The focus on VAW/GBV is important of course, but represents a very limited and initial response.…
NAWL joins other women’s rights groups to call on the Government of Canada to ensure a rigorous & far-reaching gendered response to COVID-19
The Honourable Maryam Monsef Minister for Women and Gender Equality Government of Canada Dear Minister Monsef: As we write, evidence continues to mount about the gendered impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. From increased risk of violence under lockdown in abusive homes, to expanded caregiving for children out of school and at-risk vulnerable adults,…
NAWL submits brief on Bill C-5 to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights
NAWL submitted a brief on Bill C-5—An Act to amend the Judges Act and the Criminal Code—to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. 36 feminist and equality-seeking organizations endorsed the brief, including: Accessibility for All Action Ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes Amnesty International Canada AMS Sexual Assault Support…
NAWL signs letter calling for Canada’s National Action Plan on Violence Against Women and Gender-Based Violence to be bold, ambitious, and intersectional
Violence against women and gender-based violence are non-partisan, societal issues affecting us all. Women’s Shelters Canada, in collaboration with partners from across the country, have been advocating for a National Action Plan on Violence against Women (VAW) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) since 2015. Despite tireless efforts from countless feminist organizations across the country, rates of…
Joint Letter to Finance Minister on PharmaCare
Over 170 national and provincial organizations have signed the joint Pharmacare Now Statement calling on all parties to work together to implement universal, public pharmacare within this government’s mandate. A diverse coalition of 150 national and provincial organizations representing health care providers, non-profit organizations, unions, workers, business, seniors and patients are now calling on the Finance Minister…
NAWL endorses Pharmacare Now
In the wake of the federal election, our coalition of national and provincial organizations is calling on the new government to immediately implement universal, public pharmacare. Our large and diverse coalition represents health care providers, non-profit organizations, unions, workers, seniors, patients and academics from across the country. Within a minority Parliament, co-operation is more important…
Standing in Supreme Court Climate Case sought by Friends of the Earth and NAWL
OTTAWA—Late yesterday, Friends of the Earth (FOE) and the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) filed their Memorandum of Argument of the Proposed Intervenor in the Climate case being appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) by Ontario and Saskatchewan. This filing is an important step by these two organizations to secure Standing…
When it comes to gender equality, Canada has unfinished business: Study
At current pace it will take 164 years to close the economic gender gap alone in Canada. OTTAWA—Canada’s progress towards gender equality has been uneven, and despite some positive steps there is significant unfinished business, according to a new report released today by a network of gender equality groups and the Canadian Centre for Policy…
NAWL hosts introductory workshop on feminist law reform in Ottawa
Representatives of thirteen national feminist and equality seeking organizations and allies participated in an introductory workshop on feminist law reform convened at the University of Ottawa. The morning session of the workshop, which presented an introduction to feminist law reform, was facilitated by: NAWL’s Executive Director, Suki Beavers; NAWL Project Director, Rachel Kohut; NAWL Project…
UN report highlights systemic violence against Indigenous women, supports MMIWG inquiry findings
A coalition of women’s rights organizations is demanding action in Ottawa following the release of a United Nations report that highlights what it says is Canada’s failure to address violence against women.…
After decades of waiting, women’s rights organizations celebrate changes to the Divorce Act
After decades of advocacy by women’s rights groups pressing for much needed changes to the Divorce Act, including by a coalition led by the National Association for Women and the Law (NAWL) and Luke’s Place, and the efforts of many feminists who engaged on Bill C-78; An Act to amend the Divorce Act, the Family…
NAWL presents to Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs on Bill C-78
Two federal political party leaders are ‘Up for Debate’ on gender rights – what about the rest?
OTTAWA—Today, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May publicly committed to participating in a federal leaders’ debate on women’s rights and gender equality in the lead-up to the October 2019 federal election. The leaders announced their commitments at the launch of Up for Debate, a non-partisan campaign calling for women’s rights and…
Open Letter: Strengthening Bill C-87, An Act respecting the reduction of poverty
NAWL signed the Open Letter to Minister Jean-Yves Duclos prepared by Canada Without Poverty Campaign 2000 and Citizens for Public Justice to strengthen Bill C-87, An Act respecting the reduction of poverty. The Honourable Minister Jean-Yves Duclos Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development House of Commons Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2 February 1, 2019 Open…
Letter Regarding CSC Consultation on Bill C-83
Malheureusement, cet editorial n’est pas disponible en français.…
NAWL signs Joint Statement calling on Canada to end sterilization of Indigenous women without consent
NAWL signs Joint Statement calling on Canada to end sterilization of Indigenous women without consent: Agissons rapidement pour faire cesser la stérilisation des femmes autochtones sans leur consentementAgissons rapidement pour faire cesser la stérilisation des femmes autochtones sans leur consentement…
