Project Name:
Responding to the needs of displaced Afghans through legal assistance and protection services in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, Pakistan
Overview
Society for Human Rights and Prisoners’ Aid (SHARP), in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), launched operations in November 2022 to address the protection needs of displaced Afghans residing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Karachi. The initiative focuses on community-based protection, protection case management, legal aid, and advocacy with key stakeholders and duty bearers, including police officials, lawyers, and prison department authorities. The current phase of the project continues to cover KP, Karachi city, and Jacobabad.
Timeline: Successfully completed four phases of the project and is now implementing the fifth phase, which runs from January to December 2025.
Beneficiaries: Displaced Afghans (Afghan Citizen Cards holders) and undocumented Afghans residing in Pakistan.
Location: Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Timargarah/Batkhaila, Swabi, Mardan, Mansehra, Karachi (Korangi, Kemari, Karachi East, Karachi West, Karachi South, Karachi Center and Malir), interior Sindh specifically to Jacobabad.
Core Activities
Protection Case Management and Referral Services: Protection case management and referral services are provided to displaced Afghans in KP and Sindh. This includes assessing protection needs using IOM’s SOPs and tools, referring at-risk individuals to relevant service providers, and conducting follow-ups to ensure timely, safe, and dignified support. Assistance is tailored to meet both immediate and long-term needs.
Community-Based Protection: Community outreach and awareness-raising activities to inform displaced Afghans about protection issues and available services including identifying new clusters, holding Broad-Based Community Meetings (BBCMs) to establish community networks, delivering protection awareness sessions, training Community Outreach Volunteers (COVs), and organizing monthly coordination meetings with communities and volunteers to discuss protection concerns and identify local service providers to address emerging needs.
Community Centers: SHARP operates two community centers in Peshawar and Timargarah, providing displaced Afghans with safe and dignified access to protection-related services, including case management. These centers also serve as information hubs where individuals can receive timely updates and, when needed, seek legal counseling and assistance.
Protection Monitoring: Data collection through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and household surveys as part of IOM’s protection monitoring
Legal Aid and Legal Assistance: Legal aid services provided to displaced Afghans include legal advice, counseling through community outreach, walk-in support, helplines, and court representation.
