Ottawa to help resettle 600 LGBTQ Afghans to Canada: Refugee group – National | 24CA News
An LGBTQ refugee group says Ottawa helps resettle to Canada 600 Afghans who’re fleeing persecution as a result of their sexual orientation or gender identification.
Earlier this week, Toronto-based Rainbow Railroad mentioned it has solely been in a position to resettle 4 per cent of the practically 3,800 Afghans who’ve requested the group for assist coming to Canada because the Taliban took over their nation.
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The group complained that Ottawa’s resettlement packages don’t account for Afghans who’re persecuted on the premise of sexual orientation or gender identification, and who usually can’t safely flee to neighbouring international locations.
But Rainbow Railroad says Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has since pledged to assist resettle 600 LGBTQ Afghans, on high of the 180 who’ve already reached Canada and the 20 or so anticipated to reach across the finish of this 12 months.
The Immigration Department wouldn’t affirm the transfer, citing safety dangers, however says it facilitates the resettlement of particular teams with stakeholders resembling Rainbow Railroad.
“We continue to explore all avenues and maximize every opportunity to bring Afghans to Canada as quickly and safely as possible,” division spokesman Jeffrey MacDonald mentioned in an emailed assertion.
It’s unclear when the 600 would arrive.
The division says it’s “unwavering” in its pledge to resettle 40,000 Afghans by the top of 2023. As of Dec. 14, 26,735 had arrived.
“Canada’s humanitarian program focuses on resettling Afghan nationals who don’t have a durable solution in a third country, which includes 2SLGBTQI+ individuals,” one other division spokesman, David Tuck, mentioned in an e-mail.
The division has funded LGBTQ refugee teams and labored with them to assist folks declare refugee standing by way of the United Nations course of, however Rainbow Railroad has mentioned that the association is insufficient and doesn’t work rapidly sufficient.
Human-rights teams have reported an alarming rise in bodily assaults, sexual violence and systemic focusing on of LGBTQ folks in Afghanistan because the Taliban takeover in August 2021.
© 2022 The Canadian Press
