Irish Deputy Prime Minister Michael Martin has announced that Ireland will receive 50 refugees from Afghanistan under the Irish Refugee Protection Program 2024/2025. The Irish politician emphasized the severity of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, which he described as one of the worst in the world. His comments were made on the third anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power. Afghanistan is currently experiencing widespread human rights violations, particularly against Afghan women. Martin expressed concern over the atrocities committed under Taliban control, including extrajudicial killings, public executions, enforced disappearances, torture, and arbitrary arrests, which have become daily threats to the Afghan people.
Ireland will welcome Afghan refugees who are facing risks due to their dedication to women’s rights and their work in various fields such as justice, media, politics, culture, and education. Martin strongly condemned the “gross human rights violations” in Afghanistan and urged the Taliban to reverse their discriminatory decisions.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, Afghan women have been stripped of their basic rights to education, employment, and freedom of movement since the Taliban took power. Martin asserts that sustainable peace is unattainable without the inclusion of women and respect for human rights. The Taliban has issued 70 decrees curtailing women’s fundamental rights, including bans on education beyond the sixth grade, salary reductions, and the imposition of physical punishments such as flogging and stoning.
Ireland’s Refugee and Public Policy Program has provided 650 places to Afghan refugees in humanitarian situations. This initiative specifically targets human rights defenders, journalists, and judges, as they are the most vulnerable groups. Additionally, the program also extends assistance to religious minorities, including the Hazaras.
According to the Integration Department, the refugee accommodation and the demands placed on other branches of the resettlement program have depleted the program’s resources to their maximum capacity. Martin emphasized that over 23 million people in Afghanistan will need humanitarian assistance in 2024.
