Afghan women lawyers rescued from Afghanistan receive trauma treatment

We are delighted to say that we have provided more than 180 sessions of therapy to Afghan women lawyers, judges and human rights defenders who had to flee their country when the Taliban took over in autumn 2021.

Our All Rise fundraising projects raised an incredible £60,000 across two Crowdfunding campaigns in 2021 and 2022, in collaboration with the International Bar Association Human Rights Institution and Methoria.

  • The project has also included:

  • peer support groups

  • discussions, consultation and training for 56 organisations working with Afghan refugees

  • research with 200 local authority Afghan resettlement teams

The background

In the days following the withdrawal of American and allied troops from Afghanistan, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute organised planes and evacuated 103 women to Greece for their safety. Along with their families, 500 people were helped in total. In their careers in Afghanistan many of the women had prosecuted Taliban leaders and fought for human rights of their country people, and their lives and those of their family were in immediate danger.

Our work

Thanks to your generous donations to the All Rise campaigns, we have so far provided psychological therapy free of charge to 16 women, including the cost of interpreters where necessary. All of TTI’s therapies are offered by specialist clinical and counselling psychologists, who have extensive experience of working with trauma survivors.

A questionnaire was given to each person before and after therapy, which asked about common issues following traumatic stress. There was a statistically significant improvement in scores after therapy, demonstrating reduced anxiety, and improved concentration and sleep.

The majority of mentors reported being confident in knowing how to spot the signs of mental health difficulties, and to support their own wellbeing and their colleague’s wellbeing in their roles.

Research and needs analysis of Afghan refugees resettled in the UK

In addition, TTI has conducted research into the needs of resettled families, along with gaps in provision. There has been a distinct lack of this kind of research so TTI carried out surveys with women based in eight countries, translated into Dari and Pashto, and with legal mentors of displaced Afghan women.

The findings of this research have informed the next delivery stage of All Rise. This includes setting up a facilitated peer group, where women with similar experiences can connect and support each other. It also includes the development of materials in English, Dari and Pashto, focused on giving information about talking therapies and coping strategies.

The All Rise team has also spoken to more than 200 local authorities and over 56 community organisations. The aim is to develop a national trauma and resettlement strategy to support refugees and asylum seekers upon their arrival and/or resettlement in homes and communities across the UK.

Claire Owen