May 18, 2006

Canadian forces were first deployed to Afghanistan in 2001. Canada remains in Afghanistan today for the same reasons we first engaged with the country: Canada, and the world, have a strategic interest in a secure, self-sufficient, democratic and stable Afghanistan that never again provides a safe haven for terrorists or terrorist organizations.

Our government has made a clear commitment to stabilizing Afghanistan and making important diplomatic, defence and development contributions to the creation of a more secure environment. Our objectives are threefold: to defend our national interests, ensure Canadian leadership in world affairs, and help Afghanistan rebuild into a free, democratic and peaceful country.

For more information please visit http://www.canada-afghanistan.gc.ca/active-role-en.asp

Women’s Rights

An important aspect of our mission in Afghanistan is the promotion of women’s rights. Our government, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), is working on several initiatives. Examples include:

• Thanks to CIDA’s financial support, the Montreal-based organization Rights and Democracy, has opened many centres for women throughout Afghanistan. These centres support women by providing them with help and advice.
• The Afghan Constitution recognizes that Afghan women have the same rights as Afghan men. Unfortunately, many women are not aware of their rights. Thanks to CIDA funding, Rights and Democracy has already trained over 6,000 women to speak to their fellow Afghans, both men and women, on the importance of respecting women’s rights to go to school, to express themselves and to live in security. These women have encouraged thousands of families to send their daughters to school.
• The centres for women also provide legal aid to women who cannot afford a lawyer. Hundreds of women across Afghanistan have already benefited from these services.
• Some centres also provide a safe location where women can take refuge from a violent husband or simply to have a roof over their heads. This approach is new to Afghanistan and hundreds of women have already taken advantage of these services. These centres also provide basic services such as literacy training and health services.

With the collaboration of CARE Canada, CIDA also supports programs that have fed over 10,000 widows and their families. This aid also gives women the chance to learn basic reading and mathematical skills and to obtain professional training in order to find work. This government has recently allocated $7 million for these projects ($2.5 million for the Humanitarian Aid to Widows project in Kabul; $4.5 million for the professional training project).