Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 33
33
Accepted in Part
Paragraph: 210
Set out urgent plans for Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme Pathway 2, including clear arrival targets.
Recommendation
In contrast to the generally positive experiences of many Syrians who came to the UK via the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, many Afghan refugees’ experiences of resettlement have been fraught with difficulty. While some of the early issues were a consequence of the unplanned nature, and sheer scale, of the evacuation of Kabul, the Government has been too slow to respond to meet the needs of Afghan refugees, particularly those with vulnerabilities related to protected characteristics. It is deeply concerning that only 22 vulnerable refugees identified by the UNHCR in pathway 2 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme had been resettled in the UK by the end of 2022, some 16 months after control of Afghanistan was ceded to the Taliban. Pathway 2 is currently the only viable route to safety in the UK for many women and girls and ethnic and religious minorities at extreme risk of persecution and violence. The Government must set out its plans for pathway 2 as a matter of urgency, including a clear and manageable target for the number of arrivals over the coming years. It should do so in response to this Report.
Government Response Summary
The government details its commitment to Pathway 2 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, noting 40 arrivals by March 2023 and having requested 2,000 referrals from UNHCR in the first year. It states it will continue to receive referrals but will manage flows based on need and accommodation availability, declining to set explicit future targets.
Paragraph Reference:
210
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
In relation to the recommendation at paragraph 210, The Government has made an ambitious and generous commitment to help relocate some of the most at-risk people in Afghanistan and, so far, we have brought around 24,600 vulnerable people to safety. This includes British Nationals and their families, Afghans who loyally served the UK and others identified as particularly at-risk, such as campaigners for women’s rights, human rights defenders, Chevening scholars, journalists, judges and members of the LGBT community. Under Pathway 2 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) refer refugees to the UK for resettlement. UNHCR make referrals based on an assessment of protection needs and vulnerabilities, in line with their resettlement submission criteria, which specifically includes women and girls at risk. As of March 2023, the UK has welcomed 40 arrivals through Pathway 2 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme. We requested referrals from UNHCR for around 2,000 refugees during the first year of this pathway and will continue to receive referrals to the scheme in coming years. The numbers resettled in a particular period will depend on a range of factors including the flow of referrals from UNHCR in the field and the availability of suitable accommodation and care packages in the UK. We will manage the flows based on need and in support of the wellbeing of the people and communities involved, rather than rushing to meet targets. It is vital that those arriving have somewhere suitable to stay once they are in the UK. We continue to work with Local Authorities and other partners to source suitable accommodation, to be able to welcome more Afghans.