NOTE: This ‘Go Fund Me’ page is for
my dearest friend- who has asked me to refer to her as the pseudonym, Nausheen. Nausheen does not wish to disclose her identity as she is concerned about her safety. Due to this, Nausheen decided to include a picture of her original art work instead of a picture of herself.
Due to the shared nature of Nausheen's savings account with her father, her father has restricted her from accessing his funds unless she agrees to receive reparative therapy in Pakistan.
However, because of her father's funds that are in the savings account (that Nausheen is restricted from using), she cannot apply for the legal aid Ontario certificate.
Nausheen has asked me to start this fundraising page on her behalf. She is involved in the ongoing development and progress of this campaign page.
Dear friends, supporters and allies,
Nausheen’s safety and security is in immediate danger if she is forced to return to her home-country, Pakistan. Nausheen is a trans woman. She began her transition process in Ontario, Canada.
I am addressing her transition because it is pivotal in understanding the following context:
Nausheen is an international student who has recently graduated from a Canadian university. Her work permit will expire in August, 2016. Legally, a person can apply to restore their work permit in the first 90 days after it expires. A person can stay in Canada until they receive notice regarding the status of their application. However, during this process, the person is restricted from undertaking any form of employment. Additionally, there is no guarantee that the application for the extended work permit will be approved. If the application is denied, a person must leave Canada as soon as the work permit expires.
While it has been suggested that a person can return to their home-country and re- apply for a Canadian work permit or permanent residence from there, for Nausheen this option is not feasible. Because she is a trans woman, Nausheen cannot simply leave Canada and return to Pakistan to renew her visa application. Furthermore, she had a very clear path to apply for permanent residence while in Canada, based on her education and ties to Ontario, but the province decided to place a hold on all applications for the year 2016.
Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Updates
As mentioned above, Nausheen began her transition in Canada without any disclosure to her family members in Pakistan. However, the emotional burden of the secret transition caused Nausheen to share her transition with her close family members and friends in Pakistan. The hurtful response she has received from some members of her family and friends has significantly contributed to her fear in returning back to Pakistan. Hence, if Nausheen is legally forced to return to Pakistan, she will be in immediate danger involving physical and emotional abuse. The examples of injustices that Nausheen will be subjected to if she returns to Pakistan are the denial and confiscation of her transition medications such as hormone treatments, forced reparative therapy, police brutality, sexual harassment, and other forms of injustice and violence experienced by trans women within the country.
Due to the limited community resources available for trans women with temporary status in Canada, Nausheen has no option but to hire an immigration lawyer in Ottawa. The asylum claim is the only option available in ensuring that Nausheen is protected. Her immigration lawyer will help file the application for asylum and will prepare an in-depth analysis of her case. To date, the lawyer has already helped Nausheen establish her case file and is in the process of submitting the legal documentation for asylum. She will also accompany Nausheen at the hearing with the Immigration and Refugee Board.
Nausheen legal aid has been quoted $8000.00 dollars. Nausheen’s lawyer has expressed that the aforementioned quote is likely to increase if there are any further complications that arise during the application process and hearing. Currently, the lawyer requires an advance payment of $2000.00 before Nausheen’s case can be processed any further. Nausheen’s lawyer has indicated that travel costs, courier costs, and cost for translation are not included in the quoted amount of $8000.00, and must be paid for separately.
The lawyer charges at a rate of $200/hour. She has already completed several mandatory consultation sessions with the lawyer, including an initial consultation of $300.
The accumulated legal costs are of specific concern as Nausheen has recently been laid off from her unionized job and has no financial assistance outside of her own personal earnings. As mentioned above, since disclosing her transition to her family, Nausheen's father has also stopped supporting her financially, restricting her from accessing his funds.
Without financial assistance, Nausheen's will not be able to fund the necessary legal aid that she needs in ensuring her application is a success.
Thank you for taking the time to read about Nausheen’s current struggle for asylum. At most, you reading this wall of text and educating yourself on the issues trans women with temporary status experience means an incredible amount to Nausheen. Please assist, if it is at all possible for you to do so. If it is not possible for you to assist by offering funding, let me know of other ways in which you can help my friend!
All supporters will receive a personalized email from Nausheen. Please share this page with those who are allies and supporters of trans women. If we can reach our fundraising goal, we can afford to offer Nausheen a safe haven in Canada. Our project will be very important in helping my friend live a life with dignity in Canada.
my dearest friend- who has asked me to refer to her as the pseudonym, Nausheen. Nausheen does not wish to disclose her identity as she is concerned about her safety. Due to this, Nausheen decided to include a picture of her original art work instead of a picture of herself.
Due to the shared nature of Nausheen's savings account with her father, her father has restricted her from accessing his funds unless she agrees to receive reparative therapy in Pakistan.
However, because of her father's funds that are in the savings account (that Nausheen is restricted from using), she cannot apply for the legal aid Ontario certificate.
Nausheen has asked me to start this fundraising page on her behalf. She is involved in the ongoing development and progress of this campaign page.
Dear friends, supporters and allies,
Nausheen’s safety and security is in immediate danger if she is forced to return to her home-country, Pakistan. Nausheen is a trans woman. She began her transition process in Ontario, Canada.
I am addressing her transition because it is pivotal in understanding the following context:
Nausheen is an international student who has recently graduated from a Canadian university. Her work permit will expire in August, 2016. Legally, a person can apply to restore their work permit in the first 90 days after it expires. A person can stay in Canada until they receive notice regarding the status of their application. However, during this process, the person is restricted from undertaking any form of employment. Additionally, there is no guarantee that the application for the extended work permit will be approved. If the application is denied, a person must leave Canada as soon as the work permit expires.
While it has been suggested that a person can return to their home-country and re- apply for a Canadian work permit or permanent residence from there, for Nausheen this option is not feasible. Because she is a trans woman, Nausheen cannot simply leave Canada and return to Pakistan to renew her visa application. Furthermore, she had a very clear path to apply for permanent residence while in Canada, based on her education and ties to Ontario, but the province decided to place a hold on all applications for the year 2016.
Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Updates
As mentioned above, Nausheen began her transition in Canada without any disclosure to her family members in Pakistan. However, the emotional burden of the secret transition caused Nausheen to share her transition with her close family members and friends in Pakistan. The hurtful response she has received from some members of her family and friends has significantly contributed to her fear in returning back to Pakistan. Hence, if Nausheen is legally forced to return to Pakistan, she will be in immediate danger involving physical and emotional abuse. The examples of injustices that Nausheen will be subjected to if she returns to Pakistan are the denial and confiscation of her transition medications such as hormone treatments, forced reparative therapy, police brutality, sexual harassment, and other forms of injustice and violence experienced by trans women within the country.
Due to the limited community resources available for trans women with temporary status in Canada, Nausheen has no option but to hire an immigration lawyer in Ottawa. The asylum claim is the only option available in ensuring that Nausheen is protected. Her immigration lawyer will help file the application for asylum and will prepare an in-depth analysis of her case. To date, the lawyer has already helped Nausheen establish her case file and is in the process of submitting the legal documentation for asylum. She will also accompany Nausheen at the hearing with the Immigration and Refugee Board.
Nausheen legal aid has been quoted $8000.00 dollars. Nausheen’s lawyer has expressed that the aforementioned quote is likely to increase if there are any further complications that arise during the application process and hearing. Currently, the lawyer requires an advance payment of $2000.00 before Nausheen’s case can be processed any further. Nausheen’s lawyer has indicated that travel costs, courier costs, and cost for translation are not included in the quoted amount of $8000.00, and must be paid for separately.
The lawyer charges at a rate of $200/hour. She has already completed several mandatory consultation sessions with the lawyer, including an initial consultation of $300.
The accumulated legal costs are of specific concern as Nausheen has recently been laid off from her unionized job and has no financial assistance outside of her own personal earnings. As mentioned above, since disclosing her transition to her family, Nausheen's father has also stopped supporting her financially, restricting her from accessing his funds.
Without financial assistance, Nausheen's will not be able to fund the necessary legal aid that she needs in ensuring her application is a success.
Thank you for taking the time to read about Nausheen’s current struggle for asylum. At most, you reading this wall of text and educating yourself on the issues trans women with temporary status experience means an incredible amount to Nausheen. Please assist, if it is at all possible for you to do so. If it is not possible for you to assist by offering funding, let me know of other ways in which you can help my friend!
All supporters will receive a personalized email from Nausheen. Please share this page with those who are allies and supporters of trans women. If we can reach our fundraising goal, we can afford to offer Nausheen a safe haven in Canada. Our project will be very important in helping my friend live a life with dignity in Canada.