On the third anniversary of the takeover of the Taliban in Afghanistan on August 15th

Three years after the Taliban's takeover, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is still devastating: girls are banned from attending school from the seventh grade, women are neither allowed to work nor study or leave the house alone. Millions of children suffer from hunger, exploitation and lack of educational opportunities. Many parents are desperate and send their children to work instead of to school. At the same time, the country is massively affected by the effects of climate change and a variety of natural disasters, as recently the devastating flood disaster in May 2024 in the north of the country. Against this background, measures of humanitarian aid and basic care are just as important as long -term development cooperation and promotion of civil society on site.

In addition to the urgently needed continuation and provision of international aid for Afghanistan, the children's rights organization Terre des Hommes is calling on the German government, on the occasion of the anniversary of the Taliban's seizure of power, to urgently continue the Federal Reception Program for Afghanistan (BAP).

"The German government has enshrined the federal admission program for particularly vulnerable Afghans in the coalition agreement, thereby making a promise that must not be broken. Women and girls in particular are massively oppressed in Afghanistan; girls cannot even attend school from the 7th grade onwards. This is a massive violation of children's rights that blocks the future of many young women. Germany has a humanitarian obligation to accept more vulnerable people from Afghanistan," explains Joshua Hofert, board spokesperson for Terre des Hommes .

According to the federal government's coalition agreement, the Federal Reception Program (BAP) is to run until the end of the current legislative period in September 2025. However, the draft budget presented in July 2024 proposes financial cuts that would de facto mean the end of the BAP. Together with numerous other organizations, Terre des Hommes joint appeal in July .

 

Background
The BAP is aimed at Afghan who have been committed to human and women's rights and for a democratic, constitutional Afghanistan or are pursued due to their gender, sexual identity or religion. The BAP is anchored in the coalition agreement. According to the admission order , up to 1,000 endangered persons and their relatives should receive an admission of admission during the ongoing legislative period. Until the end of the legislative period, this would be up to 36,000 people. So far, however, only 540 people have entered.