Canada urges Taliban to reverse decision on banning women from NGO work
Canada's international development minister is calling on the Taliban to reverse its decision to bar women from working at non-governmental organizations in Afghanistan.
Harjit Sajjan's comments come as several major international aid groups announce plans to suspend operations in the country taken over by the Taliban, a listed terrorist entity, in August 2021.
Millions have been thrown into poverty since then and and are now facing hunger, with the United Nations estimating as many as six million Afghans are currently at risk of famine. The International Committee of the Red Cross has also reported an increase in malnutrition and pneumonia among children, with concerns only mounting given the onset of winter.
In light of the Taliban's decision, Save the Children, CARE International and the Norwegian Refugee Council issued a joint statement saying they cannot provide the assistance needed without their female staff and were suspending programs.
"Our government is deeply concerned about the recent decision by the Taliban to ban (non-governmental organizations) women employees from doing their important work in Afghanistan," Sajjan said in a statement Sunday.
"They are contributing to the critical work of meeting the urgent humanitarian needs of the Afghan people. We urge the Taliban to reverse this decision because it will only lead to greater suffering of the Afghan people."
Sajjan is assessing what impact the move will have and plans to reach out to international partners and international groups in the region, his office added.
Canadian humanitarian groups have already said they have been unable to deliver aid because the Canadian government has yet to find a workaround to its anti-terrorism laws, which officials warned groups they could be violating if they pay people in Afghanistan for services such as providing transportation or purchasing goods.
Citing Canada's sanctions, a spokesperson at the Canadian Red Cross -- which is part of a coalition of aid groups pushing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government to find accommodations for them to work in the region-- said it is not affected by the Taliban's decision.
Sajjan has said his government plans to amend the Criminal Code to provide a workaround for aid groups, but said no changes could be introduced until at least spring 2023.
The Taliban's banning of women at non-governmental organizations has sparked outcry among international aid organizations such as Unicef, whose executive director called the move a "blatant violation" of both international humanitarian law and women's rights.
"These decisions will have far-reaching consequences for the delivery of essential services for children and families across the country -- especially in the areas of health, nutrition, education and child protection -- areas where female humanitarian workers have an immeasurably important role to play," Catherine Russell said in a statement.
The International Committee of the Red Cross says it employs hundreds of women in Afghanistan and is particularly concerned about what the Taliban's decision means for those in its health-care system.
The Canadian government has long expressed concerns about the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan, including last week when Foreign Minister Melanie Joly joined her counterparts in ally countries to condemn the Taliban's barring of women from universities and girls from secondary schools. They issued a statement at the time saying such policies "will have consequences for how our countries engage with the Taliban."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 25,2022.
-- With files from The Associated Press.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government鈥檚 three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party鈥檚 popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn鈥檛 be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
It's a dream for many Canadians, trying to save up enough money for a down payment on their very first home. That was also the dream for the Esmeralda family, a family of five with two dogs who currently live in a Scarborough apartment building.
W5 Investigates Heists, arson and a baseball bat brawl: police allege organized crime fought over clothing donation bins
In part three of a four-part investigation into the seedy underbelly of the lucrative clothing donation bin industry, CTV W5's Jon Woodward and Joseph Loiero look into allegations that the industry is rife with organized crime activity.
This radioactive gas is a leading cause of lung cancer. Here's how to check if it's in your home
Radon is a radioactive gas found in nearly every Canadian home. A new research study is putting a renewed spotlight on the invisible, odourless element that is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in Canada.
Donations are quickly pouring in for the family of a young woman who was found dead inside a Walmart in Halifax last weekend.
How many Canadians are without a doctor? Just-released report outlines health-care situation
A new report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information says 83 per cent of adults in this country have a regular primary-care provider, but that still leaves 5.4 million adults without one.
A haunted house in the Ontario Town of Innisfil is causing a real scare for some people a week before Halloween.
Used car market expecting supply crunch as fewer off-lease cars return
Already low on inventory, the used car market is facing an additional supply crunch as fewer off-lease vehicles return to dealership lots 鈥 and that's contributing to higher prices.
BREAKING
Four people are dead and another is in hospital following a fiery crash in downtown Toronto that happened overnight on Lake Shore Boulevard.
An Afghan province bans all media from showing images of living things to comply with Taliban laws
An Afghan province has banned all media from showing images of living things to ensure compliance with the Taliban's morality laws.
Local Spotlight
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.
Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.
A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.
A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.
A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.
Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.
Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.
The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.