Afghan Refugees Will Get a New Life in Canada

Fourteen countries issued a joint statement on human rights restrictions for Afghan women, and Canadian businesses continue to provide jobs for Afghan immigrants

By: Charlotte Hui

Human rights restrictions on women and girls have increased since the Taliban re-established the Islamic United Emirates of Afghanistan.

Today, fourteen foreign ministries, including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, issued a joint statement calling on the Taliban to reconsider its decision to restrict women’s and girls’ participation in society.

The joint statement said:

• “We remain deeply concerned by the continued restrictions on girls’ access to education in Afghanistan and call on the Taliban to respect the right to education and adhere to their commitments to reopen schools for all female students.”
• “We are deeply disappointed about escalating restrictions imposed by the Taliban that impact the human rights of Afghan women.”
• “Afghan women should be free to choose how they express themselves in accordance with their faith and have the right to move freely in society.”
• “We call on the Taliban to reconsider decisions which constrain the right of women and girls to make their own choices, gain an education, work and participate equally in society.”

Meanwhile, 13,050 Afghan refugees are already in Canada, and the federal government is trying to house at least 40,000, with new arrivals safely and asylum offers to arrive every week.

Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, states that Canadian businesses can help Refugees gain experience in their new communities while growing this country’s economy.

“Finding stable employment is crucial to the success of newcomers in Canada, and many are eager to build on their experience and skills in their new communities. I’m thrilled that so many Canadian businesses are providing jobs and mentorship opportunities to the world’s most vulnerable, so they can continue to enrich our communities and help grow our economy,” Fraser said.

Many small and medium-sized businesses in Canada have contributed to helping refugees financially. These include:

• Maple Leaf Foods offers over 700 positions worldwide in agriculture, processing, and production.
• The Commissionaires provide security, patrol, administration, system security positions, and training for Afghan refugees.
• Amazon welcomes Afghan refugees to apply for Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, and Halifax positions.
• McCain Foods/Day & Ross has committed to hiring at least 125 Afghan refugees in 2024.

For refugees, getting a new job is the key to a new life. At the same time, the arrival of refugees has filled Canada’s labor shortage and helped the country recover its economic market after the pandemic.