2SLGBTQQINA+ individuals who have fled Iran due to violence against them due to their sexual and gender orientation and expression, residing as refugees in Türkiye are facing “prolonged processing delays and lack of meaningful responses from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)” despite already having a willing sponsor who is waiting to receive them in Canada.
These delays, as well as “detention, deportation, serious medical conditions, religious persecution, gender-based violence, and LGBTQ+ persecution” in Türkiye continue to leave Queer refugees at risk.
The International Railroad for Queer Refugees (IRQR), working in partnership with the Marjan Foundation, have issued a briefing report When Protection Waits: Canada’s Private Sponsorship Delays and the Human Cost for Refugees in Türkiye that outlines the dangers for queer refugees currently residing in Türkiye.
The report also calls on “Members of Parliament and the Government of Canada to take urgent action, including:
introducing targeted special measures for Iranian refugees stranded abroad.
applying urgent-protection principles to high-risk private sponsorship cases;
providing case-specific responses instead of generic replies;
creating a direct urgent communication channel for experienced sponsorship organizations;
developing a Türkiye-specific backlog reduction plan;
restoring a predictable and functional private sponsorship pathway; and
introducing targeted special measures for Iranian refugees stranded abroad.”
Click the link to read the briefing: When Protection Waits: Canada’s Private Sponsorship Delays and the Human Cost for Refugees in Türkiye