ICMPD’s Migrant Resource Centre for Afghanistan, EU Agency for Asylum providing trusted information for safer pathways

Since 2021, the EUAA’s Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Network Expert Platform on Safe Pathways for Afghans has brought together EU Member States, other European and participating countries, international organisations, migration experts and civil society organisations. The Platform provides a space to exchange experience and discuss practical challenges in resettlement and humanitarian admission programmes, including documentation, administrative procedures and the complexities faced by Afghans in neighbouring countries.

For MRC Afghanistan, the partnership has linked this international exchange to its work with people seeking reliable migration information. In 2023 and 2024, MRC Afghanistan and the EUAA team mapped participating countries’ resettlement and humanitarian admission programmes. This helped make information about available programmes and official procedures more accessible, and supported coordination among participating countries, including EU Member States.

The MRC’s role has extended beyond sharing information. Through the Expert Platform, MRC Afghanistan has acted as a two-way communication channel: conveying participating countries’ information to relevant Afghan audiences and bringing questions from Afghans back to the relevant countries and partners for clarification.

This exchange helps people access more accurate, timely and official information about programme requirements and procedures. It also gives participating countries and organisations a clearer view of the questions and practical difficulties Afghans encounter.

Reliable information matters in a context where people may face uncertainty about eligibility, documentation, permits and administrative steps. Misinformation and fraudulent online claims can compound that uncertainty. By sharing verified updates and responding to frequently asked questions, MRC Afghanistan helps counter misleading messages, including those used by smuggling networks to exploit people’s hopes and vulnerabilities.

The Centre’s counselling and awareness-raising work also informs what it shares with partners. Questions raised by clients help identify emerging information needs and areas where clearer communication may be useful. In this way, the Platform supports a continuing exchange between policy and operational discussions, participating countries and the people affected by migration decisions.

Resettlement and humanitarian admission remain important options for people in need of protection. At the same time, MRC Afghanistan has drawn attention to complementary pathways, particularly education and employment opportunities for Afghan youth and women.

The 2025 Expert Platform meeting explored education and labour mobility alongside humanitarian admission and resettlement. MRC Afghanistan shared its experience using digital channels, counselling and partnerships to help Afghans learn about legal pathways and prepare for opportunities. Women and girls face particularly severe restrictions on education and employment, making the development of safe, merit-based opportunities an important part of wider discussions on pathways.

MRC Afghanistan’s work with education partners illustrates how information can be connected to practical preparation. This can include counselling, soft-skills training, referrals and pre-departure support, helping young people understand application processes and prepare for study opportunities. These efforts complement protection pathways and contribute to broader exchanges on how education and employment mobility can be made more accessible.

MRC Afghanistan provides information and counselling at the community level while also learning from the concerns people bring to the Centre. Its regular quarterly migration and trends analysis draws on enquiries and observations to identify changing information needs and migration-related concerns.

This evidence can help policymakers, researchers, academics and the international community better understand how Afghans themselves describe their circumstances, questions and plans. It also helps partners see where communication may need to be updated and where further discussion or coordination could be useful.

Through its partnership with the EUAA Expert Platform, MRC Afghanistan connects these perspectives with a wider exchange among countries, international organisations and civil society. The partnership brings together practical experience and policy discussion in support of safe, orderly and regular pathways, and helps ensure that information about those pathways reaches the people who need it.