Women’s inequality is so commonplace, some forms are either not recognized as discrimination, or are not treated as a priority.

For example: women have had to fight for access to the basic healthcare that they (and girls and trans men) need, including birth control and abortion; police have failed to adequately protect Indigenous women and girls; and Muslim women and girls in Canada who choose to wear hijab or niqab to express their spirituality or identity have faced discriminatory laws.

Our Recent Cases and Reports

View our latest work and activity.

Bill 21

Bill 21

Bill 21 is a law which disproportionately impacts people who are already marginalized. New Quebec laws ban Canadians working as teachers, lawyers, police officers, and more from wearing religious symbols such as crosses, hijabs, turbans and yarmulkes. This not only affects people currently working in the public sector, but also the youth who aspire to those careers.
VIEW CASE
Reproductive Rights

Protecting Reproductive Rights

A New Brunswick regulation restricts access to abortion unless done in approved hospitals, even though this restriction is not medically necessary or justified. The New Brunswick law has created a serious issue for New Brunswick women, girls and trans people who need access to abortion, a basic form of health care. VIEW CASE      

Bill 21

Bill 21 is a law which disproportionately impacts people who are already marginalized. New Quebec laws ban Canadians working as teachers, lawyers, police officers, and more from wearing religious symbols such as crosses, hijabs, turbans and yarmulkes. This not only affects people currently working in the public sector, but also the youth who aspire to those careers.

Reproductive Rights

Bill 21 is a law which disproportionately impacts people who are already marginalized. New Quebec laws ban Canadians working as teachers, lawyers, police officers, and more from wearing religious symbols such as crosses, hijabs, turbans and yarmulkes. This not only affects people currently working in the public sector, but also the youth who aspire to those careers.

Our Recent Work for Women's Rights

Olympic Committee’s New Eligibility Rules Exclude Transgender Athletes and Expands Policing of Women’s Bodies

Olympic Committee’s New Eligibility Rules Exclude Transgender Athletes and Expands Policing of Women’s Bodies

TORONTO - Recent changes announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) mark a significant shift…
March 27, 2026
Supreme Court Affirms Substantive and Intersectional Equality in Kanyinda Decision

Supreme Court Affirms Substantive and Intersectional Equality in Kanyinda Decision

Toronto – The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) welcomes the decision by the Supreme Court…
March 9, 2026
Federal Regime Governing Sex Work: A Disappointing Decision from the Supreme Court of Canada

Federal Regime Governing Sex Work: A Disappointing Decision from the Supreme Court of Canada

On July 24, 2025 the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) dismissed an appeal that challenged…
July 24, 2025
CCLA Intervenes Before Supreme Court to Defend Migrant Rights

CCLA Intervenes Before Supreme Court to Defend Migrant Rights

TORONTO — Counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association appears today at the Supreme Court…
May 15, 2025
CCLA Announces Victory and Discontinues Abortion Access Challenge in New Brunswick

CCLA Announces Victory and Discontinues Abortion Access Challenge in New Brunswick

TORONTO - Harini Sivalingam, Director of the Equality Program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association…
January 13, 2025
CCLA Welcomes Amendments to Regulations That Remove Legal Barriers to Abortion Care Access

CCLA Welcomes Amendments to Regulations That Remove Legal Barriers to Abortion Care Access

Harini Sivalingam, Director of the Equality Program of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, made the…
November 7, 2024
Read Our Letter to the New Premier of New Brunswick

Read Our Letter to the New Premier of New Brunswick

In our recent letter to the new Premier of New Brunswick, we address a crucial…
November 5, 2024
NCCM AND CCLA LAUNCH JOINT CHALLENGE TO QUEBEC GOVERNMENT’S BAN ON PRAYERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

NCCM AND CCLA LAUNCH JOINT CHALLENGE TO QUEBEC GOVERNMENT’S BAN ON PRAYERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

(Montreal, Quebec)—The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), and…
May 26, 2023
CCLA Submission on Anti-Black Racism at the Canadian Human Rights Commission

CCLA Submission on Anti-Black Racism at the Canadian Human Rights Commission

Harini Sivalingam (Director of Equality Program) delivered the following statement to the Senate Human Rights…
May 15, 2023
CCLA and LEAF Urge Repeal of Discriminatory Newmarket By-Law

CCLA and LEAF Urge Repeal of Discriminatory Newmarket By-Law

CCLA and the Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund (LEAF) sent a letter to Newmarket’s…
September 1, 2022
CCLA Demands Immediate Repeal of Regulations Limiting Abortion Access in NB

CCLA Demands Immediate Repeal of Regulations Limiting Abortion Access in NB

In the wake of the US Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the CCLA…
July 28, 2022
CCLA Statement at New Brunswick Rally on Abortion, Reproductive Justice, and 2SGLBTQI+ Rights

CCLA Statement at New Brunswick Rally on Abortion, Reproductive Justice, and 2SGLBTQI+ Rights

Today's ruling from the Supreme Court of the United States is an appalling step back…
July 9, 2022
CCLA Reacts to Decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization

CCLA Reacts to Decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization

Today's ruling from the Supreme Court of the United States is an appalling step back…
June 24, 2022
CCLA & NCCM file factum against Bill 21 in Quebec Court of Appeal

CCLA & NCCM file factum against Bill 21 in Quebec Court of Appeal

CCLA filed legal submissions against Bill 21 in the Quebec Court of Appeal. In this…
December 9, 2021
CCLA opposes Quebec’s Anti-Trans and Anti-Choice Bill 2 on Family Law

CCLA opposes Quebec’s Anti-Trans and Anti-Choice Bill 2 on Family Law

CCLA filed its submissions opposing Quebec Bill 2, on the grounds that the Bill outs…
December 3, 2021
Domestic violence for 27 years AND an 18 year jail term for Helen Naslund

Domestic violence for 27 years AND an 18 year jail term for Helen Naslund

Helen Naslund, a 56 year old grandmother, was sentenced to 18 years in jail for…
June 21, 2021
Massage Parlours in Newmarket

Massage Parlours in Newmarket

CCLA wrote a letter to the Town of Newmarket expressing our concerns with proposed amendments…
June 21, 2021
CCLA Wins First Round of Abortion Challenge In New Brunswick

CCLA Wins First Round of Abortion Challenge In New Brunswick

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has begun the process of taking New Brunswick to court…
June 1, 2021
CCLA’s Submissions on Bill 251

CCLA’s Submissions on Bill 251

On May 13, 2021, the CCLA provided written submissions on Ontario’s Bill 251, the Combating…
May 20, 2021
CCLA Files For Public Interest Standing In New Brunswick Abortion Lawsuit

CCLA Files For Public Interest Standing In New Brunswick Abortion Lawsuit

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has begun the process of taking New Brunswick to court…
May 17, 2021
CCLA & NCCM Appealing Bill 21 Decision

CCLA & NCCM Appealing Bill 21 Decision

May 6, 2021
CCLA Remarks on Bill 21 Judgment by the Quebec Superior Court

CCLA Remarks on Bill 21 Judgment by the Quebec Superior Court

Today is judgment day on Bill 21. A complex decision was handed down by the…
April 20, 2021
CCLA Partners on Report Urging Toronto to Detask Police

CCLA Partners on Report Urging Toronto to Detask Police

A new report released this morning is urging the City of Toronto to shift resources…
January 4, 2021
Whose Religious Symbols Can Shine???

Whose Religious Symbols Can Shine???

In this season of darkness, the festivals of light bringing warmth and cheer may be…
December 21, 2020
CCLA Will Sue New Brunswick Over Abortion Restrictions

CCLA Will Sue New Brunswick Over Abortion Restrictions

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has begun the process of taking New Brunswick to court…
October 15, 2020
CCLA Statement of Support for Abortion Rights & LGBTQ+ Healthcare Now Protest

CCLA Statement of Support for Abortion Rights & LGBTQ+ Healthcare Now Protest

The role of the government is to protect the health of its citizens. It is…
August 27, 2020
2020 Quebec Superior Court

2020 Quebec Superior Court

Suspending Bill 21 is an urgent matter. We were before the Quebec Court of Appeal…
December 20, 2019
Seeking to Appeal Interim Decision on Bill 21

Seeking to Appeal Interim Decision on Bill 21

CIVIL LIBERTIES GROUPS SEEK LEAVE TO APPEAL BILL 21 DECISION NCCM & CCLA file an…
July 23, 2019
Fighting Quebec’s Religious Symbol’s Ban – As it Unfolds

Fighting Quebec’s Religious Symbol’s Ban – As it Unfolds

CCLA is currently challenging the discriminatory religious symbols ban, Bill 21 in Quebec alongside the…
June 19, 2019
CCLA and NCCM’s Application Regarding Quebec’s Religious Symbols Ban

CCLA and NCCM’s Application Regarding Quebec’s Religious Symbols Ban

Bill 21, An Act Respecting the Laicity of the State, passed in the Quebec National…
June 17, 2019
An Even Bigger Victory for Equality, Abortion, and the Rights of Vulnerable Patients

An Even Bigger Victory for Equality, Abortion, and the Rights of Vulnerable Patients

The Court of Appeal for Ontario has ruled in favour of vulnerable patients and their…
May 15, 2019
Access to Abortion, Dying with Dignity, and More Upheld by Ontario Court of Appeal

Access to Abortion, Dying with Dignity, and More Upheld by Ontario Court of Appeal

Doctors in Ontario will not be required to personally perform abortions, medical assistance in dying,…
May 15, 2019
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the Sex Ed Saga

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the Sex Ed Saga

It was a bad day for equality but a good day for teachers, when Ontario’s…
February 28, 2019
We Demand Equal Status for Women in The Indian Act

We Demand Equal Status for Women in The Indian Act

We need to get rid of sex discrimination in the Indian Act now! join us…
February 27, 2019
Battles begin over the repeal of Ontario’s 2015 sex-ed curriculum

Battles begin over the repeal of Ontario’s 2015 sex-ed curriculum

In July of 2018, Education Minister Lisa Thompson announced that schools would revert to teaching the 1998…
January 23, 2019
Update – Changes To Ontario’s Sex-Ed Curriculum: CCLA Taking It To The Next Level

Update – Changes To Ontario’s Sex-Ed Curriculum: CCLA Taking It To The Next Level

CCLA believes that the 2015 Ontario Sex Education curriculum should NOT be replaced with the…
August 3, 2018
CCLA & NCCM Successfully Obtain Renewed Stay Against Quebec’s Bill 62

CCLA & NCCM Successfully Obtain Renewed Stay Against Quebec’s Bill 62

The CCLA and the NCCM, two prominent civil liberties & advocacy organizations, have successfully obtained…
June 29, 2018
Bill 62 (Niqab Ban) Guidelines Cannot Save An Unconstitutional…

Bill 62 (Niqab Ban) Guidelines Cannot Save An Unconstitutional…

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) will challenge the Government of Nova Scotia’s exceptionally broad injunction limiting…
May 11, 2018
NGOs Call on Mr. Trudeau to Enact National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence

NGOs Call on Mr. Trudeau to Enact National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence

March 8, 2018
CCLA and NCCM Launch Legal Challenge Against Quebec’s Bill 62

CCLA and NCCM Launch Legal Challenge Against Quebec’s Bill 62

(Montreal – November 7, 2017) – The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) and the National…
November 7, 2017
Quebec Bill 62 Infringes on Freedom of Religion and Equality

Quebec Bill 62 Infringes on Freedom of Religion and Equality

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) will challenge the Government of Nova Scotia’s exceptionally broad injunction limiting…
October 17, 2017
International Women’s Day: Highlighting Issues of Indigenous Women in Prison System

International Women’s Day: Highlighting Issues of Indigenous Women in Prison System

On this International Women’s Day, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association recognizes the many women in…
March 8, 2017
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