Afghan women denied transfer to Spain plead for a chance to live

Five years after the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, numerous women who fled the country are appealing from Pakistan and Iran for relocation and protection in Spain. However, the Spanish government has rejected many of these requests, questioning the actual danger these women face. These women, many of whom are human rights activists, particularly for women's rights, are seeking to utilize Spanish legislation that allows individuals whose lives are in danger in their home country to apply for asylum through the Spanish embassy.

The process typically stalls at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where embassies often deny applications, citing insufficient proof of danger. Some NGOs are challenging these rejections in Spanish courts, which have occasionally ruled in favor of the women, ordering protection for them. "We ask for an opportunity to stay alive, to stay together, to live without fear," pleads Tamana (a pseudonym), a 10-year-old who acts as her family's spokesperson due to her English proficiency.

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We ask for an opportunity to stay alive, to stay together, to live without fear.

Tamana's mother received threats for her activism in Afghanistan. Despite this, Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied their transfer request and subsequent appeal. "If we return, my mother and father could be arrested, abused, or face serious reprisals. And I, at just ten years old, would also be in danger; I even fear I could be forced into marriage," Tamana stated.

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If we return, my mother and father could be arrested, abused, or face serious reprisals. And I, at just ten years old, would also be in danger; I even fear I could be forced into marriage.

Khalida (a pseudonym), a professor and human rights advocate, has been in Pakistan for four years, waiting over a year for an interview at the Spanish embassy, the first step toward relocation and asylum. "I am living a very difficult and uncertain situation. I have no secure future and am constantly worried about my safety and the possibility of being forcibly returned," she told EFE.

The NGO Netwomening, founded in 2021 to aid threatened women's urgent evacuation, now supports these humanitarian transfer cases. Since 2024, the organization has seen an increase in requests from women whose applications were rejected. They now assist by appealing directly to the embassy and, subsequently, through the judicial system. The NGO's lawyer, María López, reported that in 2025, they assisted 23 women with transfers, filed eight appeals, and followed 17 cases in the National Court, successfully bringing ten women to Spain, four of whom were granted entry after judicial intervention. However, the NGO is still awaiting outcomes for approximately thirty cases.

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I am living a very difficult and uncertain situation. I have no secure future and am constantly worried about my safety and the possibility of being forcibly returned.