KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The UK has rejected the asylum applications of 26 Afghan women activists in the final months of 2024, with officials arguing in one case that it would be safe for her to return to Afghanistan, The Guardian reports.
In a report published on Saturday, The Guardian highlighted the case of Mina (a pseudonym), an Afghan woman who fled to the UK following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Despite providing evidence of her work on Western-backed projects and her active role in defending human rights, her asylum application was denied.
“I assumed my asylum claim would be granted – I am from Afghanistan, I’m a woman, I worked with Western governments,” Mina told The Guardian. “The refusal was an absolute shock. Now every day I fear being sent back. Having a normal life here looks like a dream. I’m really suffering mentally.”
During her asylum interview with the UK government, Mina explained the dangers she would encounter in Afghanistan due to her activism and presented supporting evidence. Nevertheless, the UK Home Office decision-maker concluded that she would not face a ‘real risk of persecution or harm’ upon returning to Afghanistan.
“When I arrived here I felt safe,” she said. “In Afghanistan, I had not been considered a human.”
A Home Office spokesperson declined to comment on the case, telling The Guardian, “It is longstanding policy not to comment on individual cases.”
While the UK had previously accepted asylum claims from women like Mina, the report shows a significant decline in approvals. In the last quarter of 2024, 2,000 Afghan asylum claims were rejected, including those of 26 women activists. This marked a sharp increase from just 48 rejections in the same period of 2023. The acceptance rate for Afghan asylum claims dropped from 98.5% to 36%.
The development comes as UN experts and human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, warn of worsening conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
The shift in UK immigration policy adds further uncertainty for Afghans seeking refuge, as legal pathways continue to narrow globally. The US has suspended key immigration programs, while neighboring countries have ramped up crackdowns on Afghan refugees, leaving many with limited or no options for safety.
