RCOA is calling on The Australian Government to provide an additional 20,000 humanitarian visas to refugees from Afghanistan in its new brief, included below.
As outlined, there is an urgent need to go beyond the current 2021-22 Humanitarian Program ceiling of 13,750 places to accommodate for people at increased risk after the Taliban seized control of the country last month.
In considering the case for additional humanitarian intake, RCOA asks that the government consider the rapidly increasing displacement within Afghanistan, Australia’s generous responses to past crises, the recent cuts to our refugee program, and the depth of Australia’s aid and military engagement with the country. Over 20 years, Australia deployed 39,000 defence personnel to Afghanistan at a cost of $10 billion and spent $1.9 billion on projects to support women’s empowerment, human rights, education, health and good governance.
The brief also draws attention to the compelling need for Australia to remain engaged in resettlement of refugees from other regions, drawing on findings from UNHCR’s assessment of global resettlement needs.
