Refugees: Afghanistan

(asked on 14th March 2022) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under what circumstances the UNHCR refer a refugee from Afghanistan to the Government for resettlement.


Answered by
Kevin Foster Portrait
Kevin Foster
This question was answered on 24th March 2022

The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme commenced on 6 January, providing up to 20,000 women, children and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK.

From Spring 2022, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will refer refugees to the scheme, based on assessment of protection need.

The UNHCR has the global mandate to provide international protection and to assist Governments in finding solutions for refugees. UNHCR will refer refugees who are located in various locations, predominantly residing in Asia.

Those referred by UNHCR will be assessed for resettlement by UNHCR using their established process, and in line with their resettlement submission categories which specifically includes women and girls at risk.

The seven resettlement submission categories used by UNHCR are:

  • Legal and or Physical Protection Needs
  • Survivors of Torture and/or Violence
  • Medical Needs
  • Women and Girls at Risk
  • Family Reunification
  • Children and Adolescents at Risk; and
  • Lack of Foreseeable Alternative Durable Solutions
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