The Afghanistan crisis is a litmus test for Canada’s feminist foreign policy aspirations and its Feminist International Assistance Policy. Canada pledged to accept 40,000 Afghan refugees, including women leaders and LGBTQ+ activists, but must do more to support those left behind in a country where women’s hard-won rights are under attack.
Canada helped to increase global support to address the crisis in Venezuela and improve refugee girls’ access to education. But the government must increase funding for humanitarian crises as global needs reach record levels. Global hunger is skyrocketing due to a lethal combination of COVID-19, climate change and conflict – and several countries are on the brink of famine. Women and girls are most vulnerable to hunger since they often eat last and least and face more economic insecurity. Supporting local women’s organizations and peacebuilders in these contexts can achieve positive development outcomes, whereas arms deals only perpetuate conflict, war and hunger. Yemen, where war and famine are disproportionately harming women, is a perfect example. Canadian feminist aid spending in Yemen would achieve better outcomes for women and girls if Canada stopped selling weapons to parties to the conflict.
