Refugees’ and Migrants’ Rights Are Human Rights: A Presentation by Katrina Sriranpong

December 27, 2025

This presentation introduces children to the idea that refugees’ and migrants’ rights are human rights—a foundational principle rooted in dignity, fairness, and respect for all people. Using age-appropriate language, real-life stories from former clients, and visual materials, my presentation helps children understand who refugees and migrants are, why people are forced to leave their homes, and how human rights apply to everyone, regardless of where they come from.

The presentation is grounded in real Canadian and international examples and also draws on the work of Amnesty International Canada and the United Nations human rights framework. While the content is carefully adapted for children, it addresses important issues such as safety, fairness, inclusion, and standing up for others—values that align with educational goals around citizenship, social responsibility, and empathy.

I believe that by learning about refugees and migrants through a human rights perspective, students are encouraged to think critically, challenge stereotypes, and develop compassion for people whose experiences may be different from their own. My presentation, prepared and delivered in December 2025 to grade 6 and 7 students, supports educators and parents in fostering informed, thoughtful, and caring global citizens.  The presentation summary is outlined below and the slides are available for download.    

Introduction

As a mother and former immigration lawyer, my motivation is deeply personal. And, as the child of immigrants, I witnessed firsthand how difficult it was for my parents from Thailand —who spoke very little English—to navigate Canada’s complex immigration system. Language barriers and unfamiliar laws made even basic legal processes overwhelming.  These early experiences shaped my understanding of how powerful legal advocacy can be, especially for newcomers who are vulnerable. They also inspired me to become a lawyer and dedicate my career to helping refugees, migrants, and low-income workers find safety, stability, and justice in Canada.

I specialized in immigration litigation and judicial reviews—cases where the Federal Court of Canada is asked to review government decisions that are based on legal or factual errors or unreasonableness. Over the years, I have represented refugees, victims of human trafficking, and migrant workers facing labour exploitation, as well as human rights activists fleeing persecution.

I am also a human rights advocate and activist leader with Amnesty International, the world’s largest human rights organization, with more than 10 million supporters worldwide. Amnesty’s work—and the cases highlighted in the presentation—form the backbone of the discussion on human rights.

Understanding Refugee Protection through Real Cases

To help children understand complex legal concepts, the presentation uses real-life stories of my former clients (with identities protected) to show how immigration law works in practice.

Case Study 1: Kate — A Refugee from Syria

Kate is a woman from Syria who, along with her husband, participated in peaceful protests against the Assad regime. Because of their political beliefs and activism, her husband was arrested and tortured multiple times. Family members were also targeted, detained, and abused by state authorities.

Kate faced multiple grounds for persecution recognized under Canadian refugee law: her political opinion, her family’s political associations, her gender, and her membership in a minority religion (Ismaili). These factors placed her at greater risk than the general population.

In Canada, refugee protection requires showing a reasonable chance of persecution or serious harm if a person were forced to return home. In Kate’s case, the evidence clearly demonstrated that risk. The Refugee Protection Board accepted the claim, and Kate was granted protection, allowing her to build a safe life in Canada with her husband.

This case helps children—and adults—understand that refugees are not statistics. They are people who stood up for basic freedoms and paid a heavy price for it.

Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds: When the Law Makes Room for Humanity

Case Study 2: Jessica — A Migrant Worker Exploited in Canada

Jessica’s story highlights labour exploitation and modern-day slavery within Canada’s immigration system.

Jessica came to Canada from the Philippines as a nanny under false promises. Her employers claimed they were arranging her legal work status, but instead abandoned her in Canada with two young children and returned to Hong Kong. Over the next decade, Jessica was trapped: unpaid, undocumented, unable to renew her passport, and terrified to report the abuse for fear the children would be left alone.  She worked for years for only $100 per month, with no healthcare and no legal protection.

Under Canadian immigration law, there is a special pathway called Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) grounds, which allows decision-makers to consider factors such as long-term establishment in Canada, exceptional hardship, exploitation, and circumstances beyond a person’s control.

When the now-adult children sought legal help for Jessica, these factors were presented. Immigration officials ultimately ruled that refusing her permanent residence would be “simply unacceptable” to fair-minded Canadians. Jessica was allowed to stay in Canada permanently.

Disability, Discrimination, and Immigration Policy

Case Study 3: Ryan’s Family — Autism and “Excessive Demand”

The final case involves a family from the Philippines whose application to live together in Canada was nearly refused because their teenage son had Autism Spectrum Disorder. Despite the family’s ability and intention to pay privately for care and education, the government deemed the child a potential “burden” on social services.

This policy did not only affect families with autism; people with heart disease, disabilities, or age-related health issues were also at risk of exclusion. Such practices conflicted with Canadian values and international human rights commitments, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

After years of advocacy, the federal government acknowledged the discriminatory nature of the policy and made changes in 2018. While the reforms expanded access, advocacy groups continue to argue that the policy remains discriminatory and must be fully eliminated.  This case helps children understand that laws can change—and that advocacy works.

Refugees, Migrants, and Universal Human Rights

A core message of my presentation is that refugees and migrants could be anyone:

parents, children, teachers, farmers, artists, or professionals. Refugees flee war, violence, and persecution; migrants may move for work or education. Regardless of status, all people are entitled to human rights.

The presentation introduces children to key principles:

• Human rights are universal

• Human rights are inalienable

• Human rights are indivisible and interdependent

Children also learn about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which guarantees rights such as education, healthcare, protection from violence, and the right to play.

Labour Exploitation of Migrant Workers in Canada

Drawing on recent investigations by Amnesty International Canada, the presentation exposes systemic problems in Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

Stories like those of Benedicte and Miguel illustrate how closed work permits trap workers in abusive conditions—long hours, stolen passports, surveillance, unpaid wages, and retaliation for reporting abuse. Because workers cannot change employers and fear deportation, exploitation flourishes.  This treatment violates international human rights, including the right to just work conditions and freedom from discrimination.

Immigration Detention and Human Rights

My presentation also addresses immigration detention in Canada, explaining—at an age-appropriate level—that people can be detained indefinitely for immigration reasons even if they have committed no crime.

It highlights concerns raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, including:

• No maximum length of detention

• Prison-like conditions

• Limited access to lawyers

• Lack of independent oversight of the Canada Border Services Agency

Recent developments, such as provinces refusing to house immigration detainees in jails, are presented as important human rights victories—while also noting ongoing concerns about federal detention practices.

Recommendations

The presentation concludes by encouraging humane, rights-based solutions:

• Ending closed work permits

• Creating pathways to permanent residency for low-wage workers

• Expanding community-based alternatives to detention

• Protecting children and people with disabilities from detention

• Establishing independent oversight of immigration enforcement

Above all, the message is simple and powerful: human rights belong to everyone, everywhere.  By teaching children these principles early, my presentation aims to nurture empathy, critical thinking, and a sense of justice—values that shape a more inclusive and humane society in our future generation.  Please feel free to contact me for additional resources for children or questions pertaining to the lecture slides.  

Written by Katrina Sriranpong