August 19, 2021
To:
- Justin Trudeau, Leader, Liberal Party of Canada
- Erin O’Toole, Leader, Conservative Party of Canada
- Jagmeet Singh, Leader, New Democratic Party
- Yves-François Blanchet, Leader, Bloc Québécois
- Annamie Paul, Leader, Green Party of Canada
- Jacqueline O’Neill, Canada’s Women, Peace and Security Ambassador
- Marta Morgan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Catrina Tapley, Deputy Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
As the situation deteriorates in Afghanistan and there is much uncertainty, we call on the Canadian government to take action. Despite being in the middle of an election campaign, there is much that the Government of Canada can and must do.
We have strong policy commitments in our Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan and the Feminist International Assistance Policy to the rights of women, girls, and non-binary people. A Feminist Foreign Policy necessitates leadership, resources, and action.
Over the last twenty years, the Government of Canada has repeatedly stated its support to the women and girls of Afghanistan. We have funded their activities, encouraged their leadership, and pledged to stand behind and alongside them. Now we must live up to these promises.
We call on the Government of Canada to:
1) Put immediate measures in place to deliver on the Canadian promises of support for Afghan women rights advocates, women human rights defenders, LGBTIQ rights defenders and others. This includes concrete evacuation efforts for those who want to leave (including secure exit, support for asylum initiatives in neighbouring countries, timely information, etc.) and support for those who chose to stay (humanitarian aid, access to media, access to diplomatic channels, resourcing, etc.).
2) Work with allies to ensure humanitarian access, respect for human rights, and security inside Afghanistan and in refugee communities in neighbouring countries.
3) In addition to the much needed humanitarian aid, provide flexible financial resources as well as political support to women’s advocacy and human rights organizations in the region, working with women activists, women human rights defenders, LGBTIQ rights defenders and their organizations.
Through the coming next days and months, the priorities and voices of Afghan women themselves and all those in danger must be centred. We urge Canadian authorities to open and strengthen channels with Afghan women’s organizations and organizations led by LGBTIQ people to ensure their voices are heard.
From members of the Women, Peace and Security Network-Canada and other concerned organizations and individuals
Organizations
AccessibilityforAll
Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights
AGIR: Action LGBTQ+ avec les immigrantEs et réfugiéEs
Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention
Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS)
AWEED
Cameroon Women Peace Movement
Canada for Africa Group
Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW)
Canadian Feed The Children
Canadian LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce
Cooperation Canada
DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society
Egale Canada
Equality Fund
Equitas
Federation of Medical Women of Canada
FemDev Consulting
Fondation Émergence
Grandmothers Advocacy Network
Halifax Pride Society
Herstasis Health
Hope for Her Global Canada
Inter Pares
International Women’s Rights Project
Journalists for Human Rights
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
MCC Toronto
McLeod Group
Mercy Corps
Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto
Morgane Oger Foundation
Nobel Women’s Initiative
Organization for Social and Economic Development
Oxfam Canada
Oxfam Québec
Parliamentary Centre | le Centre parlementaire
Pathways for Women’s Empowerment and Development (PaWED)
Peace Track Initiative
Plan International Canada
Polonia Inclusive
Pride at Work Canada/Fierté au travail Canada
Queer Arabs Halifax
Queer Here Collective
QuewrTech
Rainbow Faith and Freedom
Rainbow Refugee
Rainbow Refugee Association of Nova Scotia
Rainbow Refugee Society (Vancouver)
Save the Children Canada
Sisters Trust Canada
Sudanese Women Studies Institute
The African Centre for Refugees in Ontario-Canada
The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA)
Universalia Management Group
Women’s Shelters Canada / Hébergement femmes Canada
World Federalist Movement – Canada
WUSC
YWCA Canada
Individuals (Organizations listed for identification purposes only)
Aleks Dughman-Manzur (Rainbow Refugee)
Alexandra Cooper (Parliamentary Centre)
Alexis Stergakis (Queer Here Collective)
Alia Lister
Ana de Oliveira (Cooperation Canada)
Anastasia Gaisenok
Andrea L. Siew (WREN)
Anjum Sultana
Anne-Marie Dawson
Barb McBride
Bénédicte Santoire (University of Ottawa)
Beth Woroniuk
Bill Fairbairn
Carol Steinberg
Cheryl Joseph
Christine Ouellette (WPSN-Canada member)
Claire Stiles
Claire Wahlen
Conrad Koczorowski (Independent Consultant (former Afghanistan Program Manager))
Cristina Linden
Daniel Nordstrom
David Sims
Diana Rivington
Dr. Beverly Johnson
Dr. Karen Breeck (Federation of Medical Women of Canada)
Dr. Kristopher Wells (Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth)
Elisabetta Micaro
Elizabeth McAllister
Ellen Woodsworth (Women Transforming Cities International Society)
Ellen Wright
Eric Lister
Erika Gates-Gasse
Erin Baines (UBC)
Erin Campeau
Erjon Tela
Eva Sims
Evan Cinq-Mars
Fazlullah rezagian
Frederic Hareau
Gabriel Galantino (Chaire de recherche sur la diversité sexuelle et la pluralité des genres)
Georgina Bencsik
Heather Battles
Heather Johnston
Heather Tasker (PhD Candidate, York University)
Henry Sapiano
Hninn Ko Oo (Freelance Journalist)
Hortense Devalière
Iffat Rahman
Janaki Veerakumar
Janis Alton
Jeff Alleway
Jenna Sapiano (Monash Gender, Peace and Security Centre)
Jess Houssian (Equality Fund)
Jessica Cadesky
Jo Rodrigues
Justine Wolsak
Karine Jean-François
Karolina Hanula (Polonia Inclusive)
Kate Mossman
Katie Corker
Katrina Rojas (Universalia)
Kenza Bennani (Universalia)
Kevin Moorhead
Kim Beaulieu (University of Montreal)
Kimberley Unterganschnigg
Kristi Pinderi
Kristine St-Pierre (The WPS Group)
Lindsay Monk
Lindsay Mossman
Luna KC
Madison Hitchcock (University of Ottawa)
Magdalena Kogut
Maliha Hamidi (Carleton University)
Margaret Ford
Maria Magdalena Mbanga-Mazvimavi (Hope for Her Global)
Marissa Fortune (Young Diplomats of Canada)
Marta Dabros
Mary Bridger (Gender Equality Advocate and Consultant)
Mathura N Karunanithy
Maya Eichler (Mount Saint Vincent University)
Meaghan Shevell (Universalia, Gender Equality & Inclusion Practice)
Meenu Sikand (Race and Disability Canada)
Megan Thompson
Melanie Lindayen (Equality Fund)
Merydth Holte-McKenzie
Michael Blair
Michelle MacInnes-Rae
Monique Cuillerier
Muzna DUREID (The White Helmets)
Nahid Azad. (Federation of Medical Women of Canada)
Naima Imam Chowdhury
Nancy Ingram (Foot in the Door Consulting)
Natasha Kornak
Nazik Kabalo (Sudanese women rights advocate)
Neena Sachdeva
Niroshana Chaminda
Nuala Nazarko
Nushrat Rahman
Pam Rogers
Pax Santos (QT Literary Magazine )
Rachel Logel Carmichael
Rebecca Wolsak
Rhea Mossman Sims (Klinic)
Sandra Biskupski
Sandra Davies
Sarah Kambites
Sarah Reeleder
Shannon Lewis-Simpson
Sharalyn Jordan (Associate Professor, Simon Fraser University)
Shikha McGowan
Simidele Orimolade (Crossroads International)
Sofia Descalzi
Stephanie Nichols
Stephanie Perrin
Stephen Brown (University of Ottawa)
Sunitha Bisan
Susan Hartley
Sybille Manneschmidt
Sylvia Richardson
Tatiana Buba (Equality Fund)
Thora Broughton
Urooj Mian (Sustainable Human Empowerment (SHE) Associatesinc.com)
Victoria Tait (Carleton University)
Vidya Nair
William Sawkiw
William Spence
Zuhra Aman