The two guest houses in Islamabad – one dedicated exclusively to women journalists – are opening their doors to Afghan journalists who are currently awaiting visa or resettlement decisions from third countries and will provide accommodation, meals and legal and psychological support among other services.
Growing numbers of exiled Afghan journalists have been forced to endure poverty and homelessness as they await visa or resettlement applications being decided upon by governments around the world. Thanks to financial support from UNESCO, the IFJ and PFUJ will be able to help some of those enduring a humanitarian crisis.
The IFJ will work with Afghan journalists unions and support organisations to identify those exiled journalists most in need.
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “Thanks to UNESCO and the PFUJ we are now able to extend the support we have been providing inside Afghanistan to those in exile. Many are enduring terrible conditions having had to flee with virtually nothing. This temporary project, providing short-term emergency assistance, will help to alleviate the worst suffering of a number of those people and provide support for their existing applications for longer term resettlement”.