As part of the evacuation of Afghan refugees, a plane carrying 324 people from Pakistan landed in Winnipeg, the capital of the Canadian province of Manitoba.
The flight consist of interpreters and others who had worked with the Canadian forces and allied institutions, Khaama Press reported citing the Canadian Immigration Service.
Following the fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban, the federal government committed to resettling 40,000 Afghans in Canada. This charter is a part of that commitment.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) figures, 17,655 Afghan citizens have been relocated to Canada since the evacuation process began.
This process is still ongoing, and this department says that efforts are being made to relocate thousands more.
Through a humanitarian effort and a special immigration program for Afghans who supported the government, about 17,600 Afghans have been welcomed to Canada thus far, according to Khaama Press.
Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 15, 2021. Since then, Afghanistan has seen the world’s “worst” humanitarian crisis, with millions of people struggling to get food on the table while losing basic rights for women and girls.
Taliban have imposed policies severely restricting basic rights–particularly those of women and girls.
The group decrees prohibit women from travelling unless accompanied by a male relative and require women’s faces to be covered in public–including women TV newscasters.
Moreover, the Taliban dismantled the system to respond to gender-based violence, created new barriers to women accessing health care, blocked women’s aid workers from doing their jobs, and attacked women’s rights protesters.
The Taliban has also detained women and girls for minor violations of discriminatory rules and contributed to a surge in child, early and forced marriage rates in Afghanistan.
Several rights groups have called out the Taliban to implement major policy changes and measures to uphold the rights of women and girls.
The Taliban had previously promised an inclusive society and equality during their first press conference after the takeover of Afghanistan, however, their actions reflect a different picture.
There are restrictions on movement, education and freedom of expression of women posing a threat to their survival.
According to locals, the Taliban has prevented women from using smartphones, and the Women’s Affairs Ministry often extorts money for providing essential protection.
Around 80 per cent of women working in the media have lost their jobs, it said adding that almost 18 million women in the country are struggling for health, education and social rights.
