Vatican News reported that a group of 22 refugees from Afghanistan were due to arrive in Rome on Thursday, as part of the Humanitarian Corridors initiative organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio and other church organizations in agreement with the Italian government. 

The refugees were previously housed in an informal refugee camp in Islamabad, Pakistan, where they have been living in precarious conditions for nearly two years.

Tens of thousands of Afghans have have fled to Pakistan since the Taliban takeover of their country in August 2021.

Many Afghan asylum seekers are now waiting to be resettled to safe countries amid fears of deportation, as the situation for women and ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate under the Taliban regime. 

The 22 refugees will be hosted in facilities in the Lazio region surrounding Rome, as well as Liguria and Lombardy in northern Italy, where they will receive assistance from a program providing housing, legal aid and language classes, as well as enrollment in schools for their children and help with employment.

The Vatican has announced that a further group of 20 refugees will arrive in Rome from Islamabad within the next few days.

Also read: Report accuses EU of 'staggering neglect' of Afghan asylum seekers

Sant’Egidio Humanitarian Corridor

The Sant’Egidio Humanitarian Corridors project was established by a group of Catholic and Protestant churches in Italy via a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Italian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of the Interior.

The project was created following a shipwreck off the coast of Lampedusa in 2013 which resulted in the deaths of over 300 migrants and refugees.

It seeks to provide a safe way for refugees to come to Europe where they can receive the necessary assistance.

There are currently 1.32 million registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan in addition to at least 2.2 million who are still unregistered.

Also read: Afghan boxer fights for a new life in Pakistan

Granting vulnerable people safe and legal entry to Europe

The corridors, which are entirely funded by church groups, aim to reduce the dangerous journeys made by migrants and exploitation by human traffickers. They seek to provide safe and legal entry to Italy using the necessary security controls by national authorities.

Humanitarian corridors in the context of Sant'Egidio in Italy allow private organizations are allowed to bring refugees into the country if they pay the related costs. These corridors are to be distinguished from the commonly accepted definition of humanitarian corridors, which is essentially a safe pathway in a war zone. 

Pope Francis has endorsed the scheme, calling for further safe passages and protection for and solidarity with migrants and asylum seekers. In May of this year the Pope urged bishops to not only host migrants, but also promote their integration by providing ongoing support.

So far, humanitarian corridors have provided safe passage to over 6,300 refugees, the vast majority (5,400) of whom are hosted in Italy, including approximately 800 Afghans.

Also read: Report: 14,000 people from Afghanistan still waiting for transfer to Germany