Event Date: September 14, 2021 - 9:00am to 10:30am EST
Location: online

Registration: Zoom

Presented by the World Refugee and Migration Council, the US Institute of Peace and CIPS

With the sudden return to power of the Taliban following the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, large numbers of people are fleeing Afghanistan or becoming displaced within the country.

In addition to the very real threats to gains in democracy, freedom of expression and women’s rights, political and military upheaval leading to forced displacement outside of the country will have significant impacts on countries in the region, many of which are still struggling to respond to refugees and migrants already in their countries. Countries including Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and the Central Asian countries — some of which have already indicated that they cannot or will not accept refugees — are likely to be the most affected.

Join this discussion with Afghanistan civil society and regional experts about the evolving situation and how countries in the region and the international community can respond to a looming humanitarian crisis.

This World Refugee & Migration Council event, co-hosted with the US Institute of Peace and the University of Ottawa’s Centre for International Policy Studies, will ask:

• What is the situation in Afghanistan? How should the international community respond to a major new outflow of refugees and increased numbers of internationally displaced persons?
• If forced to leave the country, where will Afghans go? What regular migration pathways or other options may be available?
• What is the responsibility of the international community? What solutions can be brought to the table?

Speakers:

Sima Samar – UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement, former Afghanistan State Minister for Human Rights and International Affairs

Fawzia Koofi – Former Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Parliament and Head of the Women’s Affairs Commission

Najeeba Wazefadost – Afghan refugee, Co-founder Asian Pacific Network of Refugees and Global Independent Refugee Women Leaders

Nipa Banerjee – Senior Fellow and Adjunct Professor, School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa

Belquis Ahmadi – Senior Program Officer, Afghanistan Program, USIP

Tom Corcoran – Head of Programme, Afghanistan, Norwegian Refugee Council