Immigrant Human Rights and Democratic Inclusion: Lessons from Ukrainian Mothers Resettled In Canada and the United States

Background: Democratic inclusion relies on access to social and economic rights and participation (Zilla, 2022). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, 1948) affirms rights to work, education, health, housing, and participation without discrimination, crucial for social well-being. These rights face threats amid crises like the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, which caused over 5.7 million Ukrainians to be displaced globally, including over 500,000 resettled in North America—more than 300,000 in Canada and about 220,000–260,000 in the U.S. (UNHCR, 2025). While research often focuses on employment and social adjustment, a human rights approach emphasizes how migration status, identity, and experiences of violence threaten dignity and rights. When migrant families lack access to safety or resources, it can violate basic human rights requiring systemic responses. This study uses a human rights framework to explore adaptation, democratic inclusion, and well-being among displaced Ukrainian mothers in Canada and the U.S.

Methods: This qualitative study draws on 52 semi-structured interviews conducted between 2024 and 2026 with displaced Ukrainian mothers resettled in North America (21 in the United States and 31 in Canada). U.S. participants were located primarily in Pennsylvania (n=11) and Alaska (n=10), while Canadian participants were recruited in Manitoba (n=13) and Ontario (n=18). Participants were recruited through settlement agencies and diaspora networks. Interviews explored migration experiences, employment and credential recognition, children’s education, family well-being, and access to institutional and community supports. Interviews were conducted in Ukrainian, then transcribed and translated into English. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis in Dedoose software, guided by human rights and social justice frameworks and a comparative cross-national approach.

Results: The violence and displacement mothers faced profoundly affected their rights and well-being. In both countries, community networks, sponsors, and diasporic ties helped promote equity through settlement, housing, and emotional support. However, differences emerged: in Canada, sponsorship and community support were steady and beneficial, while in the U.S., experiences ranged from supportive to conflictual, impacting autonomy and well-being. Employment involved deskilling, unstable income, and credential barriers; U.S. participants often faced lengthy recertification and multiple jobs. Children’s education, a fundamental human right, was a key concern, with participants citing support and challenges like language barriers and academic disruptions. Gendered caregiving and social isolation hindered mothers’ housing, employment, and social participation.

Conclusions and Implications: Access to employment, education, housing, and support networks influences integration, dignity, and rights. This research shows how social work's goal of immigrant and refugee resettlement benefits from more scholarly attention. It broadens understanding of immigrant human rights for mothers and children fleeing war within democracies. Our findings affirm that a human rights–based social work approach involves reframing immigrant challenges as systemic rights issues needing systemic and policy responses. This suggests immigration policies should focus on equitable credential recognition, sponsorship safeguards, accessible education and childcare, and better social protections for displaced families. These insights support models that combine human rights, democratic inclusion, and immigrant well-being to build the common good amid global human rights violations.