Join Our National Steering Committee

WHO WE ARE

The National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) is an incorporated not-for-profit feminist organization that works to achieve substantive equality and the realization of human rights for all women in Canada through legal education, research, strategic intervention, coalition work and feminist law reform advocacy, particularly at the federal level.

With a new strategic plan, a growing team, and a committed National Steering Committee (NSC), NAWL is well-positioned for its next phase of impact. Join us at this exciting moment and help advance feminist law reform that makes a real difference in the lives of women across Canada.

Our organization and our work are framed by intersectional feminism and human rights, informed by our values: anti-oppression, reconciliation, gender inclusion, and allyship and responsibility. We are committed to advancing decolonization in all aspects of our work and work to amplify the voices of communities that have been silenced or disadvantaged.

NAWL’s priority areas, as determined by the new strategic plan include:

• Advancing Women’s Economic Security and Prosperity
• Fighting for Reproductive Justice
• Ending Violence Against Women

Examples of our work include:

• Advancing equality rights through strategic litigation, including interventions before the Supreme Court of Canada. In 2025, NAWL’s intervention in the Kanyinda case contributed to the Court’s recognition that excluding asylum seekers from subsidized childcare discriminates against women and reinforced the importance of an intersectional approach to equality rights under section 15 of the Canadian Charter.
• Advocating for stronger protections for survivors of intimate partner violence and their children, including recommendations to improve the Divorce Act.
• Promoting women’s economic security through advocacy to strengthen the Canada Disability Benefit to help lift disabled women out of poverty, eliminate gender-based discrimination in the Employment Insurance system that disproportionately affects new mothers, and advance a framework for a guaranteed livable basic income in Canada.

NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE

• NAWL is governed by a National Steering Committee that functions as our Board of Directors. NAWL’s NSC currently has 8 members.
• We are recruiting several NSC members to sit on our National Steering Committee. Committee members play a vital role in supporting and guiding our work and our growth.
• To ensure that our governance structure reflects the diversity of our country, as well as our values, we are encouraging Black, Indigenous, racialized and disabled women and gender-diverse leaders to apply.
• Commitment for 2-year term starting at NAWL’s AGM in September 2026.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Approximate time commitment of 5-7 hours per month, including quarterly NSC meetings (1hr x 2), September AGM, and active participation in at least one committee or working group.
• Attendance at NAWL’s annual in-person meeting (Friday to Sunday in the fall) in the national capital region (expenses reimbursed). This year, the dates are November 13-15, 2026.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Self-reflective, passionate about our mission, and aligned with NAWL’s values
• Familiarity with, or interest in, intersectional feminism, law reform, and feminist issues
• Fluency in at least one official language

Candidates should demonstrate at least one of the following:

• Experience in finance and/or fundraising
• Previous experience serving on a Board of Directors or National Steering Committee, or working closely with a board or committee structure
• Experience in governance, policy development, organizational development, or leadership
• Experience in law, litigation, advocacy, or activism
• Demonstrated expertise in at least one of NAWL’s priority areas
• Established networks within the private, public, and/or non-profit sectors 

HOW TO APPLY

We are inviting individuals with an interest in joining a vibrant group of feminists, to please send a letter of interest (that specifically addresses how your skills and experience meet the qualifications required for this position) and CV, along with a feminist reference or two, to contact@nawl.ca with c/o NSC Nominating Committee – Board of Directors in the subject line by July 12, 2026.