NWAC President and Board of Directors at the 2026 Annual General Assembly, August 22, 2026.

August brought our national family together in Gatineau for the Annual General Assembly, while our program teams kept moving on the ground — from health education inside federal institutions to water governance on the world stage. Here are the highlights.

NWAC held its 2026 Annual General Assembly on August 21 and 22 at the Hilton Lac Leamy, bringing Board members, PTMA delegates, and Youth and Elder representatives from across the country into one room — in a hybrid format that opened the door to broader participation.

Board members carried five resolutions unanimously, including stronger governance measures and a resolution supporting Quebec Native Women’s call to make the safety of Indigenous women an urgent political priority.

A heartfelt thank-you to the NWAC staff who spent weeks preparing — and several late nights during the Assembly itself — to bring it all together.

Walking the RED PATH — The Health team continued delivering culturally grounded health education to Indigenous women in federal custody, visiting Nova Institution for Women. Participants continue to report greater health knowledge, increased confidence, and strong interest in peer support. Upcoming visits include Buffalo Sage Wellness House, Esquao’s Fire Lodge, and the Correctional College, plus virtual CSC staff training beginning September 23.

Building PTMA Capacity — With a new grant from the Canadian Women’s Foundation, NWAC is now collaborating with 9 of its 10 PTMAs on localized needs assessments — laying the groundwork for a community-driven national strategy on Indigenous women’s leadership, safety, health, and justice.

Shaping Global Health Policy — NWAC submitted detailed feedback on the WHO’s Global Plan of Action for the Health of Indigenous Peoples (2027–2040), helping ensure the strategy reflects gender-based violence, incarceration, and child welfare as determinants of health.

Building on strong federal partnerships, the Environment Department secured continued funding from the Canada Water Agency and Environment and Climate Change Canada. Water co-governance workshops with PTMAs will help at least 50 Indigenous women strengthen their leadership in water governance, while NWAC staff and board members carry Indigenous women’s voices and traditional ecological knowledge to the COP17 conference in Armenia and COP31 in Turkey.

On September 3, Strategic Advocacy hosted the inaugural meeting of the Indigenous Women’s Research Network, bringing together 17 members — Indigenous community members, Elders, Knowledge Holders, and researchers — to begin shaping the Network’s governance and research priorities. Three more meetings are planned through January 2027.

NWAC’s Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) Program continues to support Indigenous women in all their diversity across Canada in pursuing education, skills development, and meaningful employment. So far this fiscal year, the program has received 262 applications — a clear sign of the continued demand for accessible employment and training support.

To date, ISET has approved more than $685,000 in direct client funding, supporting 58 individuals with approximately 75 education, training, and employment-related supports — an average of nearly $12,000 per client to help address the financial barriers that can make pursuing training, education, and employment difficult. Another 89 applications are currently moving through assessment, as the team works to keep funding decisions thoughtful, consistent, and aligned with program requirements.

Behind every number is an Indigenous woman working toward a goal — whether that’s completing training, earning a credential, developing new skills, or taking the next step toward sustainable employment.