Report Launch Webinar: Challenges and Consequences—The Impact of Bill C-41 on Aid Delivery in Afghanistan
Date: September 17, 2024
Time: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM EST
Location: Online Webinar
On September 17, 2024, the Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) will host a critical online webinar to launch the much-anticipated report, Challenges and Consequences: The Impact of Bill C-41 on Aid Delivery in Afghanistan. The report offers a comprehensive examination of the effects of Canada's Bill C-41 on humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover in August 2021.
This webinar will bring together experts and stakeholders who will discuss the ongoing challenges of delivering aid in Afghanistan under the constraints of Bill C-41, which introduced a divided framework aimed at preventing support from reaching the Taliban. However, the law has unintentionally created legal and bureaucratic barriers, complicating efforts to provide essential aid in a country facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
Speakers Include:
Nuzhat Jafri – Executive Director, Canadian Council of Muslim Women
Asma Faizi – Author of Challenges and Consequences: The Impact of Bill C-41 on Aid Delivery in Afghanistan
Adeena Niazi – Executive Director, Afghan Women’s Organization Refugee and Immigrant Services
Erica See – Senior Legal Counsel, The Canadian Red Cross
About the Report:
The report explores the legal, operational, and humanitarian challenges posed by Bill C-41, which seeks to balance counterterrorism measures with the urgent need for aid delivery in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban's return to power, aid organizations have been navigating unprecedented obstacles, including legal risks associated with unavoidable interactions with Taliban-controlled institutions. This legislation, while designed to prevent material support from reaching the Taliban, has caused severe programmatic disruptions, delays, and operational hurdles for humanitarian actors working in Afghanistan.
Challenges and Consequences highlights the perspectives of Canadian humanitarian organizations that have been directly impacted by these new legal restrictions. Their experiences underscore the need for urgent reforms to ensure that aid delivery is not hindered by unintentional legal barriers, thereby safeguarding the wellbeing of millions of Afghans.
This report launch is a crucial opportunity for policymakers, legal experts, and humanitarian actors to come together and discuss potential pathways to amend the legal framework and ensure that critical humanitarian efforts can proceed without unnecessary barriers.
The report was generously supported by the Canadian Bar Association’s Law for the Future Fund.
Registration: This event is free to attend, but registration is required. Click here to reserve your spot.
For media inquiries, please contact Zainab Jamal at projectsassociate@ccmw.com
About the Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW):
The Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) is a national organization dedicated to the empowerment, equality, and recognition of Muslim women in Canada. CCMW works to support policy reforms and initiatives that enhance the lives of Muslim women and marginalized communities worldwide.