Afghan-Canadian activist awarded Order of Ontario

Adeena Niazi, a native of Afghanistan, received the Order of Ontario on Wednesday, the National Post reported the same day.

Lieutenant Governor David Onley presented Niazi the award for “her tireless efforts” to help Afghan women who emigrate to Canada. In 1990, Niazi established the Afghan Women’s Organization in Toronto to help women adjust and settle in to their new country. The organization provides workshops, counseling, and advocacy programs and helps over 6,000 women each year.

A native of Kabul, Niazi taught at a university there before leaving in 1977 for India. She remembers the Soviet invasion and how quickly she became a refugee. In 1988 she moved to Canada and soon recognized the need for an organization that addressed the needs of Afghan women.

“Afghan women were not involved in decision making, in community work, they were separated from their families,” Niazi said.

Niazi is one of 27 individuals who were awarded the Order of Ontario on Wednesday. Recipients are chosen for their excellence and achievement.

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