Bring people in Afghanistan to safety in Aotearoa

Most people - in Afghanistan and in Aotearoa - want to do all that they can to build communities and a world where everyone can live, work and play in dignity and peace, where people can make decisions about their own lives and set goals for their future.

In both countries, people care deeply about taking care of each other, and take action every day to protect the wellbeing of people in their communities.

But right now, people in Afghanistan are fleeing their homes to stay alive.

The people who worked hardest to build human rights, equality, and democracy for their communities are now at the greatest risk. People who built schools for girls, worked at human rights organisations, contributed to a free and independent media, took part in the creative arts - all of them are now targets. People who worked at organisations New Zealand supported, like the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, and people who worked at international organisations like the United Nations. Some people are at risk just because of who they are, including ethnic minorities and LGBTQI+ people.

We can help these people.

The New Zealand government has already decided to send an emergency evacuation mission to Afghanistan to help New Zealand citizens and Afghans who worked directly with the New Zealand government’s efforts in Afghanistan. This is absolutely the right thing to do. But it isn’t enough. Evacuation support needs to be provided to a wider group of people who are especially vulnerable to attack right now.

Sign your name to show the New Zealand Government we support them using every lever available to provide support and safety to people in Afghanistan as soon as possible.

We call on the New Zealand government to:
▪️Widen evacuation support from Afghanistan to more people, including those who are particularly vulnerable to attack such as: civil society workers, journalists, academics, activists, human rights defenders (including the staff of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission) and other vulnerable people, as well as Afghan nationals who have family in Aotearoa New Zealand.
▪️Expedite visas, deliver support for evacuations from Kabul airport and provide relocation and resettlement.
▪️Action an immediate pause on the deportation of people to Afghanistan.

New Zealand has an opportunity to lead with compassion and act in solidarity with people in Afghanistan who have stood up for things that New Zealanders care deeply about: protecting the freedom, dignity and safety of everyone in our communities and making sure we all have the chance to set and pursue our own goals in life.

Please note that Amnesty International Aotearoa has a very similar petition. If you have already signed that one, you can sign this one as well, and vice versa. We have coordinated with them on the wording of this petition, and when it comes time to deliver these petitions we will work with them on that as well.