UK Sees Sharp Decline in Afghan Asylum Acceptance, Sparking Rights Concerns
Amnesty International and the Gender Action for Peace and Security network have reported a significant drop in the acceptance rate of Afghan asylum seekers in the UK, plummeting from approximately 96% to 34%. According to these organizations, this decline resulted in at least 370 Afghan women and girls being denied asylum in just the past year.
The recently published report highlights that this severe reduction in acceptance places women fleeing Taliban restrictions and repression at serious risk of abuse. The groups emphasized that despite extensive evidence of systemic discrimination and the exclusion of women from education, work, and social life in Afghanistan, many applicants continue to be denied international protection.
Carla McLaren, Amnesty International’s Head of Government Affairs in the UK, described this trend as “unjustifiable,” stating that Afghanistan is among the worst countries for women. She characterized the rejection of Afghan women’s asylum claims as a sign of “moral and practical collapse in the UK’s asylum decision-making system.”
Published statistics show that the acceptance rate for Afghan asylum claims fell from about 99% in 2023 to 38% in the first half of 2025. Additionally, the overall acceptance rate dropped from 67% to 43%. Observers noted this shift followed stricter asylum evidentiary requirements introduced in the Nationality and Borders Act of 2024.
In response, the UK Home Office stated that since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, approximately 38,000 Afghan men, women, and children have been accepted through humanitarian routes. The ministry added that each case is individually assessed based on available evidence and that under the new policy, there is no automatic right to family reunification.
The Home Office also declared in 2024 that the security situation in Afghanistan is no longer considered as dire as before and that decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis. However, the report stresses that since the UK does not officially recognize the Taliban government, practically, rejected individuals cannot be returned, leaving many without legal status in the country.
Concerns intensified following remarks by UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who did not rule out considering the option of returning some rejected Afghan asylum seekers. The Guardian has reported that the government is exploring possible negotiations with Afghanistan regarding returns.
This comes despite UK officials expressing severe concern about the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls during a recent UN Security Council session. Human rights groups warn that the sharp reduction in granting asylum serves as a serious test of the UK’s commitment to defending women’s rights globally, especially for those escaping the Taliban’s harsh and discriminatory policies.
