QUESTION PERIOD — Global Affairs
Human Rights in Afghanistan
June 20, 2024
My question is for the Leader of the Government. On Monday, June 17, Amnesty International declared that “Gender apartheid must be recognized as a crime under international law . . . .” This follows the adoption of my motion in this chamber on June 4 urging the Canadian government to recognize the erasure of Afghan women and girls as gender apartheid.
Senator Gold, when will your government honour its commitment to its “women and girls first” approach to international assistance to Afghanistan?
Thank you for your question and for your advocacy in this important area.
The women of Afghanistan — and, indeed, many other countries — have to live, and sometimes die, in repressive regimes where basic human rights we take for granted in this country are ignored and disregarded with impunity.
The Government of Canada continues to support a feminist-based policy as part of its foreign policy. It puts this at the centre of its work with its international colleagues and organizations and will continue to do so.
Senator Gold, the Senate passed this important gender apartheid motion two weeks ago. How can you demonstrate to us that the government treats this chamber as more than just a rubber stamp?
There are many examples of how this government shows greater respect for this Senate and its work than any previous government in the history of Canada.
To answer your question, our motion was passed just a few short weeks ago, and I think it is reasonable to expect the government to take a little bit more time to consider its response to the motion.
