Help us welcome refugees from Afghanistan

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More than a month after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, the situation of Afghans in need of international protection remains dramatic and urgent. The majority of those who have been able to flee the country are still sheltering in the region. For the most vulnerable, this often means that their needs cannot be met and their lives remain at risk. Neighbouring countries were already hosting over 2 million Afghan refugees before the dramatic events over summer.

📣 Tell your minister that European countries have an international responsibility to offer protection and welcome those most in need.

How can I help to protect people fleeing Afghanistan?

The EU is holding a High-level Resettlement Forum on 7th October 2021. Ministers from all EU Member States will discuss priorities with the European Commission. They are expected to make pledges to provide sustainable solutions to the most vulnerable Afghans.

✅ This is an opportunity to scale up EU efforts to meet global needs with a significant increase of resettlement places.

With our Europe Welcomes campaign, we have shown that over a thousand municipalities and cities are ready to welcome refugees into Europe. You can help us pass this message on to your Minister of Interior or of Migration, who will attend the meeting in October.

📧 Email your minister and ask them to match this welcoming spirit with a generous pledge to resettle Afghan refugees from third countries!

Tineke Strik 🇳🇱, Damien Carême 🇫🇷, Alice Bah Kuhnke 🇸🇪, Damian Boeselager 🇩🇪, Saskia Bricmont 🇧🇪, Ernest Urtasun 🇪🇸
Greens/EFA Members of the European Parliament

Read some of our demands to Member States here

• Member States have to make ambitious resettlement pledges additional to those made at the previous EU Resettlement Forum in July, and commensurate with the resettlement needs of Afghan refugees, as determined by UNHCR that allows for a swift, accessible, fair and transparent resettlement procedure
• Member States have to urgently resettle those who face a particular risk from the Taliban, including human rights defenders, women, girls LGBTQI+ people, religious and ethnic minorities, journalists, writers, academics, artists, former local staff of EU and Member States’ missions and implementing partners of EU and Member States’ projects, as well as vulnerable persons in need for special care and support that cannot be provided in neighbouring countries, as identified by UNHCR.
• Member States have to ensure that family unity is maintained during resettlement and family reunification is supported for Afghans previously resettled to the EU.
• Member States have to work towards the adoption of a statement of the forthcoming Council for Justice and Home Affairs on 7th October committing to safe and regular pathways for Afghan refugees to seek protection, notably through resettlement, issuing humanitarian visas and the simplification of family reunification procedures as well as the activation of the Temporary Protection Directive. The statement should include that rejected claims of Afghan asylum seekers will be re-assessed, accelerated and unbureaucratic procedures will be provided to extend temporary visas of Afghan citizens on Member States’ territory, and that any deportations to Afghanistan, countries hosting a large number of Afghan refugees, and countries where Afghan refugees may be at risk are put to a halt.
• Member States have to make use of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) emergency funding to receive Afghan asylum-seekers and refugees, ensuring it reaches cities and regions who welcome them.
• Member States have to ensure that additional resettlement schemes and pledges for Afghans are complementary and are not at the expense of existing resettlement schemes and other pathways such as family reunification, and in particular are not used to justify denying access to asylum procedures in the EU.