LEAF - Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund / FAEJ - Fonds d’Action et d’Education Juridiques pour les Femmes

Women's Legal Education and Action Fund, referred to by the acronym LEAF, is "the only national organization in Canada that exists to ensure the equality rights of women and girls under the law." Established on April 19, 1985, LEAF was formed in response to the enactment of Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to ensure that there was fair and unbiased interpretation of women's Charter rights by the courts.

LEAF is a well-established and dedicated advocate for gender equality, demonstrating tangible results, year after year.

LEAF focuses on litigation, law reform, and public education. In particular, we seek to advance gender equality by challenging laws, policies, and practices that discriminate against equality guarantees enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, most notably sections 15 and 28.

Since 1985, LEAF has intervened in over 100 cases that have advanced equality in Canada. Our cases have resulted in landmark victories preventing violence against women and gender diverse people, eliminating discrimination in the workplace, allowing access to reproductive freedoms, and providing better maternity benefits, better spousal support, and the right to pay equity.