National Association of Women and the Law
In many countries, the history of feminism cannot be written without the inclusion of the constant but gradual struggles that aimed at ensuring equal rights. This history is not an exception in Canada. Just like many other modern Western feminist nations, Canadian feminism success to date is associated with several feminist organizations (Brandt 8). According to Oren (849), among the many organizations, the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) is one of the notable feminist organizations with immense contribution to feminist politics in Canada. This paper will look into the participation of the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) to the history of feminist politics in Canada. Precisely, it will enlighten the reader about the organization. It will look at the organization’s goal, its achievements, and challenges concerning feminist politics in Canada.
About the Organization
National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) is a non-profit organization whose main aim is to ensure and promote equal rights of women. The organization promotes these rights of women through not just legal education but also research as well as advocacy for law reforms. For over ten and a half decades, the organization has worked single-handedly as well as with other institutions to push for feminist law reforms in the country (National Association of Women and the Law). Oren says that the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) boasts of its primary role in realizing significant positive steps in Canada’s women equality (860). Other achievements of the organization are their feminist legal analysis as well as advocacy (856). The above results have caused significant impacts on many laws and policies across Canada. According to Bryan, one of the most notable laws that the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) has influenced is the Canadian Human Rights Act (14). The other is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, sections 15 and 28.
Political Action and Strategies That National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) Chose to Pursue
In the last century, women in Canada have actualized several breakthroughs concerning the fight for equal rights for women. Today, Canadian women can vote in elections (Abji 511). Besides, two leading national political alignments have had female leaders in Canada. Prince Edward’s Catherine Callbeck was the first elected female premier in 1993 following the office being held briefly by British Columbian, Rita Johnson. In agreement, Oren (563) notes that the success of the feminist organizations is projected in many instances, including the opportunity for women to own properties and to run businesses of their own. Besides, women in Canada have had the chance to establish churches, enjoy education freely, and even teach in universities (563). Besides these developments and changes, most of the women still do their traditional jobs and have yet remained to be spouses and not only parents but also daughters and sisters.
One of the political strategies that That National Association of Women and The Law adopted is resource mobilization. According to Bryan, to run a political activity, an organization needs both human and other resources, including financial (10). Further, Sturgeon says that the National Association of Women and the Law has adopted this strategy to raise finances to support its activities (15). For example, the organization has an online-based system of channeling contributions to support its work. Secondly, they organize fundraising campaigns occasionally. This strategy enables them to run their activities flawlessly.
The other political action and strategies they adopt are social and legislative advocacy. The organization’s strategy enables them to get on board the policymakers to influence policy change or formation. According to Sturgeon, these include deliberations with the concerned individual policymakers and the policy influencers. On most occasions, advocacy works better than protests (Abji, 513). For instance, if one wants to influence a policy like creating a better work environment for people. It is easier to engage the employer and the top management on why you wish to have the change (Abji 513). Engaging the employer and executive in the discussion on better work terms or environment is more effective better than going on a go-slow or absconding duty. Industrial action, in most cases, has not worked as in the end both parties eventually end up in a round table discussion of the bargain.
Protests are also a strategy employed by the organization. In most cases, policy influencers, lawmakers, implementers, and governments fear mass demonstrations. According to Sturgeon (64), the organization has banked on this as a strategy in achieving some of the push. In agreement, Abji (508) says that when people engage in mass protests, the targeted group mostly ends up in giving the protesters an ear. These strategies have significantly led to higher women’s role in the public life of Canada. The organization’s strategy noted earlier has also ensured that women are recognized as ‘people’ under the Canadian Laws (Sturgeon 18). They have received equal rights to education, property, as well as reduced women suffrage in the country. The organizations based their push on the basis that women are primarily not just caregivers but also the ‘mother of the nation,’ and thus, they ought to have an active role in public life (Sturgeon 52). Just like in many other cases, protests have yielded results. Most authorities bow down to the pressure piled by consistent demonstrations and offer the demands of the protesters. Further, they premised their iteration on their belief that involving them would lead to better decisions, which would be reflected in their better care to society.
The efforts that National Association of Women and the Law saw the Prime Minister state his intentions of repatriating the country’s constitution and coming with a new Charter of Rights and freedoms. Pierre Trudeau’s decision was meant to establish the specific right that had to be protected and those that needed to be deleted and to prevent them from the government obstruction. However, Oren (873) says that, at that time, Canada had many divisions. Therefore, the federal government had to come up with a Special Joint Committee of both the houses that is the Senate and the House of Commons. The public submitted their proposed amendments of the constitutions to the committee. The National Association of Women and the Law was not left behind, and they sought and got the opportunity to be represented among other feminist organizations.
Conclusion
Feminism in Canada has dramatically evolved while taking into considerations all the four ‘waves,’ that of Quebec can be compared to that of the National Association of Women and The Law. However, its history does not ideally represent or match all the ‘waves.’ The efforts of the organization continued all through the years and seemed to get stronger each day. Similarly, their influence has primarily grown as they have a global voice in not only the feminist political filed in Canada but also in pushing for universal, equal human rights globally.