EU says Afghan women can get refugee protection just for being women

The EU's asylum office ruled in June 2026 that Afghan women can receive refugee protection simply because of their gender. Meanwhile, 15 European ambassadors met Taliban officials in Brussels to discuss sending Afghan refugees home. Germany ended its ban on forced returns to Kabul in 2024. About 500,000 Afghans have sought safety in the EU since the Taliban took over in 2021.