First Afghan women’s rights activists reach safety in Germany

Press Release: Cologne, October 29, 2021. medica mondiale is relieved that a number of Afghan women’s rights activists have finally arrived in Germany. Some 90 staff members of our Afghan partner organisations have been waiting since August for evacuation from the country. As of today, 18 of them are now in Germany, along with their immediate family. However, the majority of our Afghan colleagues and their families are still stuck in Kabul. The German government needs to finally live up to its political responsibility.

A woman stands in the waiting area of an airport and looks out onto the tarmac.

Monika Hauser, Executive Board Member of medica mondiale: “We were very happy and grateful to see another four Afghan colleagues and their immediate family land safely in Germany on Thursday. Initially they had to take a variety of routes out of Afghanistan into Pakistan, and later they were able to travel onwards to Germany.”

Currently a total of 18 Afghan colleagues are safe in Germany

Together with a group of women and their families who were able to secure passage to Germany two weeks ago, this brings to 18 the number of activists who are in safety.

“Over the past few months, medica mondiale has constantly been working to make it possible for our colleagues to leave the country. This non-stop effort on behalf of the Afghan partners and their families has been one of the greatest challenges faced by our organisation since it was established,” says Monika Hauser.

Majority of the activists stuck in Kabul

“We will continue to leave no stone unturned in our efforts to ensure the remaining colleagues and their families can leave Afghanistan as soon as possible. For most of them, the situation has not improved in any way. They are still stuck in Kabul, subjected to threats and intimidation from the Taliban.”

“medica mondiale is calling on the German government to live up to its political responsibility and take action to ensure that women’s rights activists and other vulnerable people can reach the neighbouring states and then travel on to Germany,” says Ms Hauser.

In recent weeks, medica mondiale has been working together with other organisations to enable the evacuation of the women’s rights activists. The women who arrived from Islamabad on Thursday with their families were able to do this thanks to assistance from the civil society initiative “Kabul Luftbrücke” (Airlift Kabul).

No evacuation possible without civil society and private support

“Our gratitude goes out to all the supporters who demonstrated practical solidarity with our colleagues in recent weeks and months,” says Monika Hauser. “In this emergency situation, the involvement of Kabul Luftbrücke then proved to be crucial, helping to save lives. It would not have been possible to support our Afghan colleagues in their efforts to leave without the tireless and unflinching civil society commitment.”

We will soon provide further information at a press conference. If you are interested, please send an e-mail in advance to presse@medicamondiale.org. You will then receive an invitation with the time and date.

Apart from this, we would ask to you understand that our colleagues need peace and stability while they settle in Germany, so they will not be available for interview.

Interviews are possible with Monika Hauser, founder and Executive Board Member of medica mondiale.