Women at Risk Program (AWR) The Women-at-Risk Program (AWR) is designed to offer resettlement opportunities to women in:
- perilous or permanently unstable situations; and
- in situations where urgent or expedited processing is necessary.
Women eligible under this program may: not have the resettlement potential usually required by applicants under the Convention Refugee Abroad class or Country of Asylum class; be marginalized or alienated in their communities; be vulnerable to the threat of rape, other forms of violence to themselves or to their children; be in such critical situations that urgent processing is required; require help because their ability to start a new life is hampered by:
- young dependent children;
- poor ability to communicate in either official language; or
- the lack of skills necessary for employment.
In many cases, women eligible under the AWR and their dependent children:
- experience more difficulties in resettling than other classes of refugees;
- will require a Joint Assistance Sponsorship; and
- will need a longer period to become integrated and established in Canada.
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