Common Law’s Professor Delphine Nakache is part of a research project initiated by Matthew House Ottawa – a non-profit organization providing housing and support to refugees – entitled “The Right to Housing for Refugee Claimants in Canada”. In addition to Professor Nakache, the research team includes Professor Christina Clark-Kazak from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GPSIA) and Professor Bantayehu Shiferaw Chanie, a visiting scholar hosted at GPSIA and the Faculty of Social Sciences. This research aims to tackle the severe housing challenges faced by refugee claimants in Canada. It seeks to map and analyze the availability and adequacy of housing and integration services for this vulnerable population.
The researchers will examine the extent to which Canada’s housing services meet the legal standards required for asylum seekers under both national and international law. By highlighting existing gaps and exploring asylum seekers’ actual experiences, this work aims to generate actionable insights that will inform policies, shape support programs, and enhance access to fundamental rights for refugee claimants.
The project is funded by a University of Ottawa Community-Based Research Grant, part of an initiative to support uOttawa researchers who partner with community-based organizations that serve marginalized communities.
Professor Nakache is a leading scholar on issues of refugee and migration policy and practice. Her expertise and significant research contributions have led her to be regularly consulted by the Government of Canada on the topic of immigration and asylum seeking. Professor Clark-Kazak is a specialist in international migration and development. She is known for her expertise in the field of forced migration. Professor Chanie’s current research interests include ethnic politics and conflict, forced displacement, and international relations, with a focus on the Horn of Africa region, primarily Ethiopia and South Sudan.