Flight follows two of the estimated 35 million forcibly displaced children seeking asylum worldwide.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, children are vastly over-represented in the world’s refugee population: Children are less than a third of the world’s population but almost half of the world’s refugees. (Refugees are defined as people fleeing armed conflict or persecution, and are distinct from migrants; children comprise 10% of the world’s migrant population.) In 2020, there were 1.1 million Afghan refugees under the age of 18 actively seeking asylum, second only to Syria.
Here are three organizations working to support asylum seekers—through policy advocacy, direct service, and legal representation.
Tahirih Justice Center is a, US-based organization that serves immigrant survivors fleeing gender-based violence. Serving asylum seekers directly and through policy advocacy, they have recently launched the Afghan Asylum Project, which connects Afghans seeking assistance with resources for on-the-ground support.
Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) supports unaccompanied and separated children on the move through legal counsel, advocating for policy solutions that will address the root causes of global migration, and direct aid in the form of medical and mental health care, educational opportunity, and crisis intervention.
Within the United Kingdom, the Refugee Council provides crisis advice and case management for asylum seekers—including minors on the move, as well as promoting refugee voices in shaping government policies on asylum.
—Adrien-Alice Hansel