Brazil Opens Doors to Afghan Refugees in Bold New Resettlement Plan

On May 1, the first group—18 Afghan refugees, including women and children, arrived in São Paulo from Pakistan, marking the beginning of what Brazil hopes will be a beacon of hope for up to 500 refugees by 2025.

Sao Paulo: Brazil has taken a significant humanitarian step by launching a new program aimed at resettling Afghan refugees, offering them safety, housing, and social support through a unique civil society partnership model.

The “Refugees with Civil Society Support” initiative is a joint effort between the Brazilian government and the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). 

On May 1, the first group—18 Afghan refugees, including women and children, arrived in São Paulo from Pakistan, marking the beginning of what Brazil hopes will be a beacon of hope for up to 500 refugees by 2025.

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Implementation of the program is being led by Refúgio, an NGO appointed by the Brazilian government. Other partner organizations, including the Instituto Estor Refugiado and Mission Support for Persecuted Churches, will also help host and integrate the refugees into Brazilian society.

The program allows approved civil society groups to help applicants navigate the humanitarian visa process, ensuring access to housing, legal assistance, social services, and job training. Local governments will coordinate with UNHCR to facilitate smooth integration.

UNHCR representative David Turzilli called the program “a hopeful and commendable model,” urging private donors and institutions to step up funding support. He emphasized that Brazil’s initiative could serve as a template for refugee resettlement globally, especially as worldwide capacity continues to shrink.

Since 2020, Brazil has issued over 13,000 humanitarian visas to Afghans, with this new initiative reaffirming its commitment to supporting those fleeing conflict and repression.

Meanwhile, global resettlement programs are facing steep challenges. The UN warns that resettlement capacity has plummeted—from around 195,000 in 2024 to a projected 31,000 in 2025—leaving millions without options for safety.

Against this bleak backdrop, Brazil’s new initiative stands out not only for its compassion but for its innovative civil society-driven model, reinforcing the urgent need for international cooperation to protect the world’s most vulnerable.