Canada

Around the world, forced displacement is rising to record levels. Globally, there is no credible plan to address the scale of the forced displacement crisis, which is expected to increase as climate change fuels devastating changes to environmental, economic, and physical well-being. International and Canadian law have long recognized universal rights related to global forced…

The 2024 International Seminar brought together youth from Canada, Kenya, Jordan, and Malawi, both refugees and non-refugees, in a collaborative research environment aimed at enhancing global connections and tackling relevant research questions.  The International Seminar explores a contemporary development issue through research and insights of young people, collaborating directly with key actors in one or…

You can’t overstate the importance of girls’ education. It provides the first building blocks for girls to start creating a good life, and to become women who contribute to the prosperity of their families and communities. But not all girls around the world have access to the conditions that enable them to enroll in school…

Globally, 7% of refugees have access to higher education. This is far below the average of 40% among those who are not refugees. For four decades, WUSC has been promoting access to higher education for refugees, and mobilizing the Canadian postsecondary education community to offer complementary education pathways for refugees. Through the Student Refugee Program,…

This summer, postsecondary campuses were abuzz with graduating students preparing to turn the page on the next chapter in their lives.  For many members of the Class of 2024, their postsecondary studies began in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. These graduating students overcame many unique obstacles and demonstrated perseverance and resilience to reach…

The world is watching: the 2024 Paris Olympics are starting this week. On this exciting occasion, we caught up with Paulo Amotun Lokoro, athlete, recent graduate in social work from Sheridan College, and alum of the Student Refugee Program. Paulo is a track and field athlete who has competed in many elite sporting events as…

As social innovators and funders from across Canada gather for the Social Finance Forum in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, WUSC is pleased to announce one of our own most recent social impact investments.  WUSC’s agenda has grown over the years as we have matured as an organization and young people’s needs and opportunities have evolved.…

Canada’s commitment to expanding durable solutions for refugees through new complementary pathways has been demonstrated through initiatives like the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), offering skilled refugees a chance to immigrate to Canada while also enabling Canadian employers to access a new pool of qualified candidates to fill job openings. At the Global Refugee Forum,…

Author Aly Muhammad Sayani This year, what’s at stake?  WUSC’s 13th Annual International Forum had at its centre the theme “Doing Different Things, and Doing Things Differently”. The axis of this theme lies at a point of reflection, as the halfway point to the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been passed. While there…

With protracted conflict and record-high numbers of refugees around the globe, the imperative for durable solutions for refugees resonates now more than ever. In countries of asylum, many refugees have the personal ambition, skills, and capacity to work, but are often prevented from accessing legal employment opportunities. Meanwhile, with acute and persistent labour shortages impacting…