Canadian Campaign for Afghan Peace

The Government of Canada is looking to quietly close the Special immigration Measures (SIM) program for Afghans. Join the #SaveTheSIM campaign now:

Campaign Progress

During the election campaign, federal parties directly responded to our demands. Our open letter has been endorsed by 2226 Canadians and 49 national and international organizations. View our parliamentary petition and other important updates below:

Aug 13 2021
Canada vows to resettle 20,000 refugees
Aug 17 2021
CCAP Launches Open Letter
Aug 18 2021
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh endorses CCAP demands
Aug 26 2021
Canada allocates additional $50 million CAD in humanitarian aid to UN and Red Cross, in line with CCAP demands
Aug 27 2021
Conservative Party Shadow Minister Garnett Genuis supports CCAP demands
Aug 29 2021
Green Party Leader Annamie Paul endorses our campaign, holds press conference with CCAP
Sep 1 2021
Liberals double resettlement target to 40,000 within three years, in line with CCAP demands
Sep 10 2021
CCAP meets with the Office of the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, Marco Mendicino
Sep 17 2021
CCAP co-hosts Afghan-Canadian community town hall with Conservative Party Shadow Minister Garnett Genuis
Sep 17 2021
CCAP meets with the Minister of International Development, the Honorable Karina Gould and the Minister's Director of Policy
Sep 20 2021
2021 Canadian Federal Election
Sep 21 2021
CCAP meets with Senator Salma Ataullahjan
Sep 22 2021
CCAP meets with Senator Ratna Omidvar
Nov 29 2021
CCAP sends open letter to the Prime Minister
Dec 10 2021
AYEDI signs AWO open letter to the Government on International Human Rights Day
Dec 14 2021
CCAP launches parliamentary petition sponsored by MP Heather McPherson
Jan 14 2022
Parliamentary petition reaches 704 signatures

Our Demands

  • Broaden and enhance the current special immigration program to a goal of resettling at least double the number previously announced;
  • Broaden the eligibility criteria to include Afghan civilians trapped within Afghanistan;
  • Make it clear that Hazaras are included in the vulnerable group category;
  • Allow new applicants who are not within the current system;
  • Urgently eliminate barriers to applying for the program in consideration of the closure of the Canadian embassy and potential border closures;
  • Increase funding to resettlement agencies and Afghan-led organizations in Canada to support Afghan newcomers
  • Provide emergency humanitarian aid and support for Afghanistan through funding to non-governmental organizations and Canada’s humanitarian partners on the ground;
  • Provide immediate lifesaving resources including, but not limited to, food, clothing, shelter, sanitation, drinking water, medical supplies and equipment, and COVID-19 vaccines
  • Take a proactive role in advocating for human rights in Afghanistan on the international stage through forums such as the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council;
  • Ensure that any engagement with the ruling power be conditional upon the preservation of the progress achieved over the last 20 years with regards to democracy, human rights, freedom of speech, rule of law, and education for girls and women
  • Lead the international advocacy of the rights of girls, women, and ethnic and religious minorities during this transitional period in Afghanistan’s governance and power;
  • Champion efforts to guarantee the security and protection of these groups within Afghanistan as well as prioritizing their resettlement

Join a Growing Coalition

The Canadian Campaign for Afghan Peace are a group of concerned Canadians who have come together under one united umbrella to make demands from the Canadian government to take further action on Afghanistan through an open letter. Read our open letter and sign on below.

As an Organization

Add your organization to the list of signatories who have openly endorsed our campaign.

As an Individual

Ask your MP to act on our parliamentary petition’s demands. Share a personal story of why this is important to you.

Organizational Signatories

  • Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission
  • OXFAM Canada
  • Amnesty International 
  • UNIFOR
  • Greenpeace Canada
  • One Young World
  • Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
  • STAND Canada
  • DAWN Canada
  • Canadian Council of Muslim Women
  • Canadian Women’s Foundation
  • The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA)
  • Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund
  • National Association of Women and Law
  • Planned Parenthood NL Sexual Health Centre
  • Afghan Women’s Organization 
  • Canadian Hazara Humanitarian Services
  • Calgary Hazara Cultural Association
  • Canada Afghanistan Business Council
  • Children Without Borders
  • Afghans Reviving Cultural Heritage
  • Afghan Rising Magazine
  • Afghan Society of Halifax 
  • Afghan Student Union, University of Toronto Scarborough
  • Afghan Students Association of Waterloo
  • Afghan Students Association at York University 
  • Who Is Hussain Toronto
  • Red Gold of Afghanistan
  • BC4Afghans
  • The School Bag Project 
  • Platform
  • Leading In Colour
  • Ending Violence
  • Association of Canada
  • Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS)
  • Peer Medical Foundation
  • Lives for Literacy
  • International Youth Alliance for Family Planning Canada
  • Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP)
  • Fridays for Futures Toronto
  • Supportistan by Afghan Youth
  • Afghan Youth Book Club
  • Afghan Higher Education Action Development
  • Partnership Afghanistan Canada
  • Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies
  • Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission
  • OXFAM Canada
  • Amnesty International 
  • UNIFOR
  • Greenpeace Canada
  • One Young World
  • Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
  • STAND Canada
  • DAWN Canada
  • Canadian Council of Muslim Women
  • Canadian Women’s Foundation
  • The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA)
  • Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund
  • National Association of Women and Law
  • Afghan Women’s Organization 
  • Canadian Hazara Humanitarian Services
  • Calgary Hazara Cultural Association
  • Canada Afghanistan Business Council
  • Children Without Borders
  • Afghans Reviving Cultural Heritage
  • Afghan Rising Magazine
  • Afghan Society of Halifax 
  • Afghan Student Union, University of Toronto Scarborough
  • Afghan Students Association of Waterloo
  • Afghan Students Association at York University 
  • Who Is Hussain Toronto
  • Red Gold of Afghanistan
  • The School Bag Project 
  • Platform
  • Leading In Colour
  • Ending Violence
  • Association of Canada
  • Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS)
  • Peer Medical Foundation
  • Lives for Literacy
  • International Youth Alliance for Family Planning Canada
  • Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP)
  • Fridays for Futures Toronto
  • Supportistan by Afghan Youth
  • Afghan Youth Book Club
  • Afghan Higher Education Action Development
  • Partnership Afghanistan Canada

CCAP Committee Members

  • Khalidha Nasiri, Executive Director, Afghan Youth Engagement and Development Initiative (AYEDI)
  • Marjila Yousof, Vice President, Afghan Youth Engagement and Development Initiative (AYEDI)
  • Yasna Taieb, Program Director, Afghan Youth Engagement and Development Initiative (AYEDI)
  • Banin Abdul Khaliq, Program Director, Afghan Youth Engagement and Development Initiative (AYEDI)
  • Hadia Rafiqzad, Research and Evaluation Director, Afghan Youth Engagement and Development Initiative (AYEDI)
  • Marwa Saleem, Social Media Director, Afghan Youth Engagement and Development Initiative (AYEDI)
  • Irena Faiz, Graphic Designer, Afghan Youth Engagement and Development Initiative (AYEDI), Freelance Designer, Artist
  • Frishta Bastan, Advisory Board, Afghan Youth Engagement and Development Initiative (AYEDI)
  • Wares Fazelyar, Advisory Board, Afghan Youth Engagement and Development Initiative (AYEDI)
  • Robina Hafizy, Canadian Campaign for Afghan Peace Member
  • Maseh Hadaf, Canadian Campaign for Afghan Peace Member
  • Lina Rahguzar, Canadian Campaign for Afghan Peace Member
  • Heffat Hussaini, Canadian Campaign for Afghan Peace Member
  • Neelofer Mansuri, Canadian Campaign for Afghan Peace Member
  • Farangies Shah, Canadian Campaign for Afghan Peace Member
  • Ghazal Zazai Canadian Campaign for Afghan Peace Member
  • Sadaf Ali Canadian Campaign for Afghan Peace Member
  • Yasmin Rajabi, Community Organizer
  • Zahra Rajabi, Community Organizer
  • Moska Rokay, ARCH President, Archivist
  • Maryam Mahjoob, The School Bag Project Executive Director, Graduate Student
  • Ramiz Bakhtiar, One Young World Ambassador, former UN Youth Delegate
  • Mina Saboor, Policy Advisor at Government of Ontario
  • Tahmina Aziz, Journalist
  • Yalda Sarwar, Journalist
  • Sheba Yusufzai, Lead Immigration Consultant, Olympia Immigration Consultancy
  • Tamana Hafid, Barrister and Solicitor
  • Ehsan Wahidie, Barrister and Solicitor