Italian Pro Bono Collaboration for Afghan Refugees (CIPBRA)

CILD is proud to launch and host, with the support of four international law firms, the Italian Pro Bono Collaboration for Afghan Refugees (CIPBRA), focusing on the safety and protection of vulnerable Afghan refugees seeking asylum in Italy.

The effects of the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 are still being felt, and the Taliban’s return to power has created a dangerous situation for vulnerable groups. The possibility of safety for these groups in Afghanistan quickly disappeared without any sign of recovery, leading to an increase in migration flows from Afghanistan to European countries, including Italy.

The escalation of violence in the months following the Taliban’s takeover has had a dramatic impact on the civilian population, with over 1,600 civilians killed and more than 3,500 injured, most of whom are women and children. The IOM Afghanistan has calculated that more than 3.6 million people have been affected by the crisis, and over six months after the Taliban’s return, the IOM estimates that more than half of the Afghan population now needs humanitarian assistance. More than 700,000 people have been displaced, and the Afghan population, particularly women and children, face increasing vulnerabilities and protection risks.

The Italian Coalition for Civil Liberties and Rights (CILD) has received several requests from Afghan individuals needing legal assistance to obtain asylum in Italy, most of whom are considered particularly at risk (women and human rights activists). These refugees urgently need help as their lives continue to hang in the balance.

In response, the four aforementioned international law firms and CILD have come together to implement the CIPBRA initiative, aimed at providing pro bono legal advice and representation to Afghan asylum seekers seeking to access and settle in Italy. Some will seek to reunite with family members, but all hope to receive the humanitarian assistance and care they should be granted as refugees—a need that has been recently underscored.

The CIPBRA project aims to provide pro bono legal advice and representation primarily to Afghan citizens in need of protection and seeking to access and settle in Italy.

To protect the right to family unity, extrajudicial and judicial advice has been provided, particularly concerning family reunification. Specifically, regarding the administrative phase, our team has liaised with Prefectures and Italian Embassies to expedite the issuance of clearances and family-related visas.

In judicial proceedings, ordinary appeals have been filed against the denial of clearances or visas, and, importantly, relatives of Afghan citizens who encountered obstacles in accessing the Embassy to formalize family-related visa applications have been supported through the filing of urgent appeals.

Additionally, for some citizens still residing in Afghanistan or neighboring countries and facing life-threatening situations, humanitarian visas have been requested under Article 25 of Regulation 810/2009.

Finally, Afghan asylum seekers residing in our country have been supported throughout the international protection recognition process, from the application submission/C3 form completion to the hearing before the Territorial Commission.