Afghanistan Situation Consultation

On 25 August 2021, the Asia Pacific Network of Refugees, the Global Refugee Network (MENA), several members of the GRF Legal Community Pledge, and PILnet organized an urgent consultation on meeting legal needs arising from the Afghanistan situation. The consultation was joined by over 250 participants and focused on understanding the legal needs of the Afghan community, legal pathways available and being created across multiple jurisdictions, and existing or new referral pathways. Some of the potential outcomes and proposed next steps include:

• Consolidating of information/resources to make it accessible across jurisdictions;
• Strengthening linkages and referrals by compiling information into a living document;
• Exploring how funding can be secured to support this work;
• Developing a community of practice where people can share good practices and effective strategies;
• Facilitating introductions and match pro bono requests where needed;
• Organizing further consultations, both on a more regular basis and around specific themes.

PILnet and these partners are implementing these next steps and will continue to meet, coordinate, and encourage others to get involved. The recording and minutes of the consultations, and resources shared during the event are available.