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Because they were involved in Terre des Hommes projects advocating for the rights of girls and women, they had to flee their homeland. After the radical Islamist Taliban seized power in Kabul last August, their lives were no longer safe. Twenty-three staff members from terre des hommes projects and 45 of their family members were evacuated from Afghanistan. They found refuge in Osnabrück, Berlin, Neumünster, Stuttgart, Kassel, Frankfurt, and Hamburg. Volunteers from local Terre des Hommes groups are assisting them with their arrival and settling in.

 

“Mohammad is a truly charming young man. He’s kind, funny, and optimistic,” Barbara from the Hamburg group raves about her new boyfriend. When she received the email from the Terre des Hommes office asking members if they could support the project staff evacuated from Afghanistan—for example, with finding apartments, acquiring furniture and household appliances, or dealing with government offices—she didn’t hesitate: “That was exactly what I needed. I’m retired, I have my family, a horse, a wonderful life, and plenty of free time. I thought: Okay, now I have something to do again. And with Terre des Hommes you have an organization behind you and you’re not alone if you run into any difficulties.”

There was nothing like this before: Barbara showed Mohammad Hamburg – the harbor, the Elbphilharmonie, the ships, the city center, and the town hall. She helped him practice his German and sewed curtains, because anyone could see into the windows of the two-room ground-floor apartment in the Jenfeld district, where he lives with three other young refugees from Afghanistan.

Barbara is delighted by Mohammad's diligence and hospitality: "He has filled entire notebooks with German verbs, which he then shows me. Whenever I visit him, there's something to eat or drink. His roommates quietly bring everything into the room and then disappear again."

The affection is mutual. Mohammad says: "I lack the words to describe Barbara. She is a wonderful person. Whenever I have a question, she is there and always knows an answer."

 

Numerous human rights defenders in Afghanistan remain at risk

Sixty-eight people were brought to safety in Germany with the help of Terre des Hommes . They do not have to go through the asylum process and receive a humanitarian residence permit under Section 22, Paragraph 2 of the German Residence Act. The costs for their accommodation and living expenses are covered by the job center. Most have already started language courses, and their children attend school and kindergarten.

But many other human rights defenders in Afghanistan are still at great risk. They are threatened and intimidated. terre des hommes therefore urgently calls on the German government to finally grant refuge to all those who are at risk in Afghanistan because they have stood up for human rights, against the forced marriage of girls, or for women's rights.

“The positive approaches outlined in the coalition agreement of the traffic light government and in Foreign Minister Baerbock’s Afghanistan Action Plan must now be followed by action,” said Joshua Hofert, Program Director at Terre des Hommes . “The planned humanitarian admission program is a sensible step. However, for human rights defenders who are currently under acute threat from the Taliban, this lengthy process may come too late. Therefore, we urge the German government to reopen the so-called human rights list and process reported cases in an unbureaucratic and transparent procedure based on Section 22, Paragraph 2 of the Residence Act. This protection must also be extended to family members beyond the immediate family, as otherwise, family members left behind could themselves become victims of persecution.”

The project work continues

Even though many employees from terre des hommes projects currently see no possibility of a reasonably safe life in Afghanistan and have left the country or intend to do so – others are staying there and project work has now restarted.

“We at terre des hommes and our partner organizations on the ground are aware of the Taliban regime’s new rules and must at least partially adapt to them,” explains Joshua Hofert. “This means, for example, that girls and boys must be taught separately. But despite everything, we continue to work towards ensuring that girls, just like boys, can grow up in a dignified and self-determined environment and know their rights.” terre des hommes is determined to continue its project work in Afghanistan. Because the people there need our support now more than ever.