The one change refugees need from the Government

Today is World Refugee Day. It’s also the shortest or longest day of the year, depending on which hemisphere you are in. This encapsulates the essence of being a refugee. Time can drag on at a snail’s space as you count down the days until you might hear back on your asylum applications, withering away in a tent city far from home.

Or it can go by at lightning pace, where one day you might be going about your life, and the next minute, missiles start raining down on your home.

On this World Refugee Day, I am thinking of the 80 million displaced people, whether it’s by civil conflict or climate change.

In particular, I am thinking of the 35m Afghans under the rule of the Taliban. Although the eyes of the world have moved on to newer conflicts, such as in Ukraine, the situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate.

Often times, the question is – what can the government do for refugee communities? But I want to highlight what these communities are doing for themselves.

The United Afghan Association of Canterbury, the community I am a part of, has raised more than $500,000 for relief efforts following the Taliban takeover.

Kiwis of refugee backgrounds want to help, and they are already doing just that.

After the Afghan evacuation, the New Zealand Government has issued 1800 visas, mostly and deservingly to those who aided the New Zealand Defence Force in some capacity.

Half of those who received visas are now in New Zealand. Afghan communities throughout New Zealand have embraced the new arrivals, assisting in their resettlement.

One change the Government could make would be to the Refugee Family Support Category (RFSC) programme set up to allow Kiwis of refugee backgrounds to sponsor relatives to come to New Zealand.

The programme was heavily oversubscribed and has been halted since the last round of applications closed in 2017.

Many Afghan-New Zealanders who submitted applications in 2017 have had nothing back. Members of my community, who were resettled here after being rescued by the Tampa container ship in 2001, are now fortunately in a position to sponsor their families to be resettled in New Zealand.

They can provide housing, social and financial support, and help in the resettlement process.

I understand the housing crisis and the border closures have meant immigration settings need a rethink, but tell that to the thousands of Kiwis with family members stuck in war zones.

Kiwis of refugee background understand the pressures that the Government faces.

That is why they have stepped up to fill the gap. I hope the Government realises there is a potent force they can tap into, to assist in the resettlement and reunification of refugee families.

This can begin with the reopening of the Refugee Family Support Category.