Posted on 15 December 2010
OTTAWA – December 15, 2010: The Senate Committee on Human Rights today releases its 14-recommendation report on Canada’s commitment to support women’s rights in Afghanistan post-2011.
“Canada should not barter women’s security in Afghanistan,” Senator Nancy Ruth, the committee’s chair said. “Women’s rights should not be traded away in the geopolitical game for Afghan peace and security.”
Entitled, Training in Afghanistan: Include Women, the report delineates how Canada can empower Afghan women in their diversity. It targets five critical areas to support that goal: security, political reconciliation, justice, education, and local development.
“It is not in Canada’s interests to hold Afghan women back from complete participation in capacity building, whether they live in cities or rural areas,” Senator Mobina S. B. Jaffer, the committee’s deputy chair said. “The change in the Canadian Forces mission gives Canada a tremendous opportunity to design gender-sensitive training practices that underpin women’s security.”
With the end of Canada’s combat mission in sight, the report’s recommendations include gender-sensitive training for Afghan security and Canadian Forces personnel and the enlistment of more women in security forces.
The push in the report takes place within the context of the Elimination of Violence Against Women law (EVAW), adopted in Afghanistan in 2006, and the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, adopted in 2000.
For more information on the committee, its work in past sessions or for upcoming public hearings, visit http://senate-senat.ca/RIGHTS-DROITS.asp
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For more information, please contact:
Molly Shinhat
Communications Officer
tel. 613-995-1952
shinhm@sen.parl.gc.ca
Adam Thompson
Committee Clerk
tel. 613-990-6160
thompa@sen.parl.gc.ca