15 August 2024
Three years ago today, the Taliban declared an ‘interim government’ in Afghanistan, following the fall of the Afghan National Security Forces and the government.
As a result of Taliban rule, a major humanitarian crisis unfolded in the region. Right now, millions of people in Afghanistan are in need of humanitarian support, with nearly half the population living in poverty following the country’s economic crash.
Crucially, there is no constitution or rule of law under the Taliban regime. Women’s rights have also been stripped bare, with millions of girls and women unable to obtain an education nor permitted to work. Since its military takeover, the Taliban has systematically removed women from public life in Afghanistan.
Erfanullah Abidi arrived in Australia in September 2021 and remembers the harsh conditions of life under Taliban rule.
“I experienced their rule as a young child and observed how it devastated our lives. The Taliban’s recent return has been even worse, with conditions deteriorating beyond what I endured before. Women and girls are now completely stripped of their rights to education and freedom, facing severe restrictions and oppressive measures. Before the Taliban, life offered more freedom; women had opportunities to study, work, and actively participate in society. The contrast between the past and present is stark and heartbreaking.”
As the recent joint IOM, UNAMA and UN Women report states: “The resulting impact on the mental and physical health of women in Afghanistan, and on the fabric of Afghan society at large, is unprecedented.”
According to recent UNHCR figures, 1.6 million Afghans have fled to neighbouring countries since the fall of Kabul in 2021, with 5.8 million Afghans now residing in surrounding territories.
In 2022, the Australian Government allocated 26,500 visa places specifically for Afghan refugees, spread over four years, as a direct response to the evolving crisis in Afghanistan. This was met with a commitment of $27.1 million for a Settlement Support Package to meet the needs of the Afghan evacuee cohort over a two-year period.
As of 31 December 2023, the Australian Government has received 220,787 requests for humanitarian visas, with 16,008 applicants being granted visas since the fall of Kabul. However, of those requests, 30,000 are currently in Pakistan, where there is an on-going threat from local authorities to send them back to Afghanistan.
The Refugee Council of Australia has previously called on the Australian Government to use diplomatic pressure to urge the Pakistani Government to stop the forced return of Afghan refugees. The Albanese Government quickly responded and has made numerous and regular representations to the most senior officials in Pakistan, urging them to act with restraint and moderation towards Afghan refugees.
We urge continued bipartisan support for the people of Afghanistan by upholding the Australian Government’s Global Refugee Forum pledge of $20 million in humanitarian assistance to support the needs of displaced Afghans and their host communities. This includes support for host countries to respond to priority humanitarian and protection needs and to build resilient communities through the Regional Refugee Response Plan for the Afghanistan Situation.
For interviews with the Refugee Council of Australia please contact media@refugeecouncil.org.au or 0433447223.
