Afghan Women Face Deportation, Seek Refuge at University of Regina

URGENT UPDATE: Afghan women at risk of deportation due to devastating cuts to USAID funding are urgently seeking refuge at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan. These women, including Nilab, 29, face dire circumstances after being forced to flee Afghanistan as the Taliban regained control in 2021.

Just confirmed: 25 women from the American University of Afghanistan’s Doha campus are now reliant on a $500,000 fundraising effort to cover their international tuition fees and secure their future in Canada. Currently, only around $170,000 has been raised, prompting desperate calls for support from the nonprofit organization Women Leaders of Tomorrow, which works to assist Afghan women in advancing their education.

Nilab recalls the chaos of Kabul’s fall, trapped in a taxi that refused to take her home due to fears of Taliban retribution. “There is no way back to Afghanistan,” she stated from her dorm room in Qatar, emphasizing the life-threatening risks she and her sister face if deported. “They would torture us. They would kill us.”

The situation escalated when USAID funding was halted, leaving students like Nilab without scholarships and facing imminent deportation as their residency permits expire. As the University of Regina steps up to help, President Jeff Keshen highlighted their commitment: “We will provide them with free housing and a meal plan, as long as they pay the international tuition.”

The university’s Project Resilience scholarship program aims to support students fleeing conflict, and they are actively working with Women Leaders of Tomorrow to facilitate the admission of these Afghan women, many of whom have advanced academic backgrounds.

However, the path to Canada is fraught with obstacles. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been criticized for its slow processing times for international students. Keshen remarked, “The ball is in Ottawa’s court now,” as many applicants face high refusal rates and significant delays.

As the clock ticks down, the potential for these women to escape their grim reality is hanging by a thread. “They were left without hope, certainty, or any light in their lives,” Rezayee noted, highlighting the emotional toll on these individuals.

Nilab, who dreams of completing her master’s in artificial intelligence, is determined to move forward, but only if her sister can join her. “It is like part of your body is here, another part of your body is with them,” she said, expressing the deep pain of separation from her family.

The fight for funding continues, and time is running out. The university and Women Leaders of Tomorrow are urgently calling on the public to help meet the $500,000 target to save these talented women from a return to traumatic circumstances in Afghanistan.

As the situation develops, those interested in making a difference can contribute to this critical cause. The stakes have never been higher for these Afghan women, who are desperately seeking safety and a chance for a brighter future in Canada.