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Libert@s online: Issue 4
March 2002

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Call For Nominations - 2002 John Humphrey Freedom Award

Rights & Democracy is now accepting nominations for its annual John Humphrey Freedom Award. The deadline for submissions is May 1, 2002. The Award, which includes a $25,000 grant and a speaking tour of Canada, is presented each year to an outstanding human rights activist or organization from any country around the world, including Canada, who works on the frontline for the benefit of developing countries. For eligibility requirements, please click here. Afghanistan - Emergency Funds for Women

On January 25, Rights & Democracy's Urgent Action and Important Opportunities Fund approved $50,000 in emergency funding for the Afghan Interim Government's Ministry of Women's Affairs, headed by the 2001 John Humphrey Freedom Award laureate, Sima Samar.

With the six month mandate of the interim government now in its second month, Dr. Samar wrote to Rights & Democracy that she still had no office, no staff and no budget. Although the Canadian Government, the United Nations Development Programme and other donors are considering funding the newly created Ministry, they are constrained by the requirement to respect the lengthy Tokyo donor coordination process.

In Afghanistan, the hardline fundamentalist sector wishes to see the new Women's Ministry fail, and it is clear that Dr. Samar cannot fulfill her mandate of just six months if she does not have at least minimal resources. Until recently, she had been running the Ministry from a room in her rented house in Kabul.

Dr. Samar has expressed disappointment to the media that a wave of declared support for Afghan women has so far, failed to translate into concrete support. "Just because the Taliban are gone, it does not mean the situation is solved," Dr. Samar told the Kabul Guardian. "I keep telling people the situation of women is not the product of the Taliban. It's a product of 23 years of war."

In a letter to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Warren Allmand also urged Canada to provide immediate support for the office and operations of the Afghan Women's Affairs Ministry. Please click here for an opportunity to take action by sending your own letter to our government urging them to support Dr. Samar and the Afghan Ministry for Women's Affairs.

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