40th Anniversary of Refugee Rights Day
April 4, 2025, marks the 40th anniversary of Refugee Rights Day in Canada. This day is a powerful reminder of our country’s continued commitment to upholding the rights and dignity of refugees (also known as asylum seekers).
Canada has welcomed 1,088,015 refugees since 1980, and this number includes those who were recognized as refugees in Canada or who were resettled from overseas1.
We recognize today, because on April 4, 1985, there was a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of Canada. It was the Singh v. Minister of Employment and Immigration case, which recognized that refugees are entitled to the same fundamental rights and freedoms as everyone else under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This ruling was a turning point, in many ways, to affirm that no one seeking protection in Canada should be denied a fair hearing.
Forty years later, this day still honours the legacy of that court ruling and serves as a call to action for ongoing protection, respect, and support for refugees. In the complex world of immigration policy in 2025, and the shifting landscapes2, we must promote the need for respect, openness, compassion, and kindness toward refugees and one another. As a country, we must also acknowledge the vast contributions of refugees in communities across Canada.
One of the best ways for us to counter the current wave of anti-immigrant sentiment in Canada, is equipping ourselves with the most accurate information available3.
“Seeking asylum is a fundamental human right enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and then again in the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol” (UNCHR Canada4).
Refugees are individuals fleeing their countries and seeking protection. Refugees have been seeking Canada’s protection for many decades.
In 2023, the United States was the world’s largest recipient of new individual refugee applications, followed by Germany, Egypt, Spain, and Canada5. That same year, Canada also resettled 51,000 refugees from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Syria, and Somalia5. Today, around the world, there are more than 122 million people who have been forcibly displaced including approximately 50 million refugees6. And in the last 13 years, the number of children displaced doubled, with the main causes being conflict and violence7.
We launched CWICE on June 13, 2018, and have served countless refugee children and youth, and their families. Since 2018, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates over 2 million children were born as refugees worldwide7.
While we celebrate in Canada four decades of progress, protection, and advocacy, we know we need to renew our promise to never take refugee rights for granted. As child welfare service providers, it is critical that we understand the population we serve, have a good understanding of systems in Canada, and worldwide trends. In CWICE, we continue to promote best practice approaches in the intersection of child welfare service with immigration, settlement, and border-related issues. To mark this milestone, we invite you to celebrate, learn more, support refugees in your communities, and stay connected to us!
To make a referral to CWICE, please email us: cwice@peelcas.org
To sign up to our newsletter, join at: www.cwice.ca
For more information:
1 Refugees in Canada - United Nations Refugee Agency | UNHCR Canada
2 A Landscape of Change in 2025: Canada & USA
3 Asylum Myths and Facts - UNHCR Canada
4 Statistics on Asylum-Seekers in Canada - UNHCR Canada
5 Global Trends report 2023 | UNHCR
6 UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency | UNHCR
7 Child Displacement and Refugees - UNICEF DATA
About the author:
Danielle Ungara (she/her) is a Registered Social Worker and a dedicated professional known for her creativity and commitment to excellence. As CWICE Manager, Danielle has brought innovative thinking and strategic leadership to the Centre of Excellence since its inception.
