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“This is where our missing hospitals are”: Oxfam reaction to new exposé of secretive tax havens

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published a new report today exposing the wealthy individuals and multinational corporations using tax havens to avoid paying their fair share of tax. Susana Ruiz, Oxfam International’s Tax Policy Lead, said:

“This is another shocking exposé of the oceans of money sloshing around the darkness of the world’s tax havens that must prompt immediate action, as has long been promised.

“Bravo to the whistleblowers and journalists for shining a light into this secret parallel system of capital, one open only to those with fat amounts of money and the greed to hoard it all untaxed, and those who facilitate it.

“This is where our missing hospitals are. This is where the pay-packets sit of all the extra teachers and firefighters and public servants we need. Whenever a politician or business leader claims there is ‘no money’ to pay for climate damage and innovation, for more and better jobs, for a fair post-COVID recovery, for more overseas aid, they know where to look.

“Tax havens cost governments around the world $427 billion each year. That is the equivalent of a nurse’s yearly salary every second of every hour, every day. Ordinary taxpayers have to pick up the pieces. Developing countries are being hardest hit, proportionately. Corporations and the wealthiest individuals that use tax havens are out-competing those who don’t. Tax havens also help crime and corruption to flourish.

“Governments’ promises to end tax havens are still a long way from being realized. We cannot allow tax havens to continue to stretch global inequality to breaking point while the world experiences the largest increase in extreme poverty in decades.”

140 countries are currently participating in international tax negotiations under the OECD-G20 umbrella. These talks have been ongoing for a decade but the best they’ve come up with is to suggest a 15 per cent tax bar ―close to the nominal rates already offered by Ireland, Switzerland and Singapore. Oxfam calls on governments to end tax havens by:

  • Ending tax secrecy on individuals, offshores and multinational corporations. Set up a public register on the real owners of bank accounts, trusts, shell companies and assets. Require multinational corporations to publicly report their accounts where they do business, country-by-country.
  • Increasing the use of automatic exchange, allowing revenue authorities access to information they need to track the money.
  • Ending corporate profit shifting to tax havens via new rules, and by setting a global minimum tax under the OECD’s BEPS deal, ideally of around 25 per cent.
  • Agreeing on a global blacklist of tax havens and taking countermeasures, including sanctions, to limit their use.
  • Setting a new global agenda on taxing wealth and capital fairly; addressing tax competition between countries on high-net-worth individuals, either on income or wealth, against agreed standards.

ENDS

The Food System Summit failed hundreds of millions going hungry everyday – Oxfam reaction

In reaction to the United Nations Food Systems Summit which was held over the past two days, Thierry Kesteloot, Oxfam’s food policy advisor said:

“The Food Systems Summit has failed hundreds of millions who are going hungry every day, by offering elitist and mere band-aid solutions rather than tackling the root causes of our broken global food system.

“We cannot end the hunger pandemic without addressing the climate crisis, the erosion of agricultural biodiversity, or the deep inequalities and human rights violations that perpetuate poverty, hunger and malnutrition.

“The Summit ambitions fell short in realising the right to adequate food for all and paled next to a catastrophic hunger crisis that is being made worse by the economic fallout of the coronavirus. 11 people are likely dying every minute from hunger, and three billion people, many of whom are women, cannot afford even the most basic healthy diet.

“Oxfam’s report “Ripe for Change” shows that big supermarkets and other corporate food giants dominate global food markets, allowing them to squeeze value from vast supply chains that span the globe, while the bargaining power of small-scale farmers and women workers who make the food we eat, has steadily eroded.

Yet, the Summit ignored proven solutions and failed to address needed policy actions to radically transform food systems. Instead, it has catered to the interests of a handful of food and agribusiness giants, while side-lining most food and smallholder farmers organisations at the forefront of food production.

“To fix our broken food system, governments must first guarantee the rights of food workers, smallholder farmers and marginalised people, by putting a fair, gender-just, resilient and sustainable global food system at the heart of the post-pandemic recovery. Governments must also support a global social protection scheme to help people overcome poverty and hunger.

“Without putting the rights and needs of small-scale farmers and food workers at the heart of transforming our global food systems, any solutions will only fuel further inequality and hunger.”

 

Notes:

Oxfam Aotearoa commends MFAT on export controls system review

Oxfam Aotearoa commends the release from Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta, that welcomes the findings of an independent review into Aotearoa New Zealand’s export controls system. Executive Director of Oxfam Aotearoa Rachel Le Mesurier said:  

“This is a very welcome step towards improving New Zealand’s ability to uphold international human rights standards and prevent human rights abuses. We congratulate Minister Mahuta and the Government for their efficiency in undertaking a review, releasing the findings publicly, and supporting the recommendations for reform. 

“We welcome the recommendation for legislative reform to make the regime clearer and simpler to implement. We are particularly pleased to see the recommendation for greater transparency and to build public confidence in the regime.” 

Earlier this year, Oxfam Aotearoa called for a transparent, public investigation into the New Zealand Government’s export control regime in the wake of the revelation that Air New Zealand worked on military equipment that went to Saudi Arabia–a military the UN accused of potential war crimes in Yemen. 

“We look forward to further engagement with MFAT as they implement the review’s recommendations, including the review and refresh of the assessment criteria,” said Le Mesurier. 

Third COVID wave engulfs Yemen with 99 per cent of people unvaccinated

Yemenis are battling a third wave of COVID, which threatens 99 per cent of the population who are unvaccinated, Oxfam said today.

Recorded cases of COVID have tripled and the death rate has risen by more than fivefold (420 per cent) in the last month.  Excluded from these figures are countless undiagnosed deaths of people in their homes due to the scarcity of tests and hospital beds. Nor does the official death toll of 1649 include the vast majority of Yemeni people who live in the north of the country where COVID-related data is not available.

Despite promises that COVAX, the global initiative to deliver vaccines, would achieve at least 23 per cent vaccination coverage in all member countries by the end of this year, less than one per cent of Yemen’s 30.5 million people have so far received one dose and only 0.05 per cent of the population are fully vaccinated.

Half-way through the year the COVAX scheme was already short by 88 per cent of the promised doses for Yemen, having delivered just 511,000 of 4.2 million. Fears that Yemen’s only source of vaccines to date will fail the country again increased last week when the initiative announced it was a half a billion doses short of its global supply target.

Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s in Yemen’s country director, said: “Yemen has the one of the highest COVID fatality rates in the world – it simply can’t cope with this virus. The conflict has decimated the already fragile healthcare system. Many people are very weak because they can’t afford to feed themselves properly or to buy basic medicines. Others are unable to afford the cost of transportation to a medical centre because of the ongoing fuel crisis.

“Vaccination is a simple solution that would save lives, but the international community is failing the people of Yemen who need doses now. We need the vaccines that have been promised but it is also shameful that having bought up all the vaccines for themselves rich countries like the UK and Germany are blocking the solutions that would see the rights and recipes of these lifesaving vaccines shared so that more can be produced for countries like Yemen.  Protecting lives should be more important than protecting the outsized profits of pharmaceutical corporations who have already made billions from this crisis.”

Over four million Yemenis have been displaced during the conflict with around two million living in Marib, currently the site of fierce fighting. Conditions in the camps are dire, many people have no access to clean water, sanitation facilities or healthcare. Salma Qassem*, a midwife who has been living one of Marib’s camps for the last two years, said:

“I was first displaced six years ago.  Some people here do not believe COVID exists. Though we have had many cases here in the camps, people haven’t yet realised that the pandemic is spreading. Shelter is the biggest obstacle for Internally Displaced People like us. Some people want to follow the precautions, but they can’t afford it for economic reasons. It is very difficult in terms of isolation for us to face COVID here in the camp especially if anyone is affected, how and where shall we isolate them? “

According to the UN two out of three Yemenis lack access to healthcare services. Seven years on from the start of the conflict, only an estimated half of healthcare facilities are still operating. An estimated 20 million Yemenis need healthcare assistance including 5.9 million children. Sources report that Yemen’s doctors in public hospitals have been working unpaid with some sleeping in hospitals and clinics as they cannot afford accommodation. 

This year the UN requested donor countries to provide $3.9 billion for essential humanitarian aid – so far less than half has been donated with healthcare only receiving 11 per cent of the funds it needs

 

Ends

*Name changed to protect identity

 

Notes

Oxfam Yemen’s Policy and Advocacy lead Abdulwasea Mohammed is available for interview (English or Arabic)

Broadcast quality footage of Salma Qassem talking about COVID in the Camp where she lives is available plus B roll of the camp and crowded local markets

COVID STATS:

Number of cases of Covid 20 Aug-19 September 2021 = 1260

Number of cases of Covid 20 July – 19 August 2021 = 420

Number of deaths due to COVID 20 Aug – 19 September 2021 = 229

Number of deaths due to COVID 20 July – 19 August 2021 = 44

Source – Johns Hopkins University

Vaccine supply raw data from Airfinity, Vaccination raw data from Our World in Data (All vaccine data from 20.09.21)

COVAX Total supply of COVID-19 vaccine doses

4,191,600

COVAX Total vaccine deliveries

511,000

Delivery as % of total supply

12%

Doses administered

322,934

Population fully vaccinated

0.05%

Population partially vaccinated

0.96%

Source for Covax vaccine supply stats:  – https://www.who.int/news/item/08-09-2021-joint-covax-statement-on-supply-forecast-for-2021-and-early-2022

The IRG government in the South of Yemen closed schools last week (w/c 13 September)

Latest key figures on IDPs https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-unhcr-operational-update-covering-period-24-august-3-september-2021

COVAX = COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines directed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organization

Yemen healthcare needs https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-humanitarian-response-plan-2021-march-2021-enar

Poorer nations expected to face up to US$75 billion six-year shortfall in climate finance: Oxfam 

Wealthy nations are expected to fall up to US$75 billion ($106.6 billion) short of fulfilling their long-standing pledge to mobilise just over US$100 billion each year from 2020 to 2025 to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to the dangerous effects of climate change and reduce their emissions, according to estimates by Oxfam today.  

This analysis comes ahead of informal climate talks between world leaders at the UN General Assembly later today – a key moment to get the target back on track ahead of the COP26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow in November. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released new data on Friday showing that developed countries provided only around US$80 billion in climate finance in 2019. 

Based on current pledges and plans, Oxfam estimates that wealthy governments will continue to miss the $100 billion goal and reach only US$93 billion to US$95 billion per year by 2025, five years after the goal should have been met. This means that climate-vulnerable countries could miss out on between US$68 billion and US$75 billion in total over the six-year target period.   

Hot and cold temperatures are estimated to kill five million people every year, accounting for more than nine percent of human deaths globally, and this is expected to increase as heat-related deaths rise due to climate change. Climate change could trigger economic losses double that of the pandemic, but it is not being treated with the same urgency. In 2020, the EU, UK, US, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand spent more than $21 trillion on COVID-19 fiscal recovery packages ―equivalent to meeting the climate finance goal 151 times over. At the same time, total global military spending rose by 2.6 percent since 2019 to just under US$2 trillion ―nearly 20 times more than the climate finance goal. So far, New Zealand has spent $48.4 billion on the Covid-19 pandemic, which is more than 160 times its fair share of the US$100 billion goal according to an Oxfam report. 

Several countries, including Aotearoa New Zealand, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands have made no new climate finance pledges. While some countries, including the US, Canada and Germany, have increased their pledges in recent months their efforts have not been enough. At the G7 Summit in June, leaders repeated their commitment to narrow the gap, but those of France, Australia and Japan failed to increase their contributions above current levels.  

Climate finance is one of the three key pillars of the Paris Agreement and vital to global efforts to tackle the climate crisis and its impacts. Globally, 2020 tied for the hottest year on record, with 98.4 million people affected by floods, storms and other climate-related disasters and caused economic losses of at least $242.8 billion.   

At a virtual talanoa of the Pacific Island Forum last week, Tuvalu’s Finance Minister Seve Paeniu said that Tuvalu needs more than $425 million for coastal protection alone. For countries like Tuvalu, transitioning to clean energy and adapting to climate change impacts —some of which are already irreversible— cannot happen without this support. Many developing countries are already being forced to spend large amounts of their public finances on combating climate change. For example:  

  • Fiji has an average asset loss of more than FJ$500 million ($340 million) per year due to tropical cyclones and floods. The World Bank estimates that almost FJ$9.3 billion ($13.6 billion), almost 100 percent of GDP, in investment is required over the next 10 years to strengthen Fiji’s resilience to climate change and natural hazards for decades to come. 
  • Over the next 50 years Solomon Islands is likely to incur annual average direct losses equivalent to 3 percent of GDP, has a 50 percent chance of experiencing an event causing a loss exceeding 35 percent of GDP. 
  • Poor families in rural Bangladesh spend nearly $2 billion a year on preventing climate-related disasters or repairing the damage caused by them —twice as much as the government and over 12 times more than Bangladesh receives in multilateral international climate financing. The average person in Bangladesh produces 24 times less CO2 than the average person in the US.  

Oxfam Aotearoa Campaign Lead Alex Johnston said:  

“The pandemic has shown that our government can swiftly mobilise billions of dollars to respond to a crisis — it is clearly a question of political will. Let’s be clear, we are in a climate crisis. It is wreaking havoc across the globe and requires the same decisiveness and urgency. Millions of people from Guatemala to Fiji have already lost their homes, livelihoods and loved ones because of turbo-charged storms and chronic droughts, caused by a climate crisis they did little to cause.  

“Wealthy nations, including New Zealand, must live up to their promise made twelve years ago and put their money where their mouths are. We need to see real funding increases now, within a rising overseas aid budget. It’s particularly critical that New Zealand steps up in this area ahead of COP26 to show a commitment to increased action given that our Emissions Reduction Plan won’t be ready in time. Developing countries need to see that we have skin in the game, and climate finance, alongside a greatly increased 2030 climate target, is one of the ways we can show that.” 

According to the UN Environment Program, annual adaptation costs in developing countries are expected to reach US$140 billion to 300 billion ($199 billion to $211 billion) per year by 2030, and US$280 billion to 500 billion ($398 billion to $710.8 billion) by 2050. 

With the COP26 UN climate talks in Glasgow just over a month away, Oxfam is calling on New Zealand and other wealthy countries to urgently increase their pledges of climate finance to deliver on their target. At least 50 percent of climate finance should be spent on adaptation.   

/Ends   

  

Notes

Oxfam’s methodology and datasheet on the shortfall in climate finance are available on request.  

In 2009, developed countries agreed to contribute US$100 billion a year in climate finance to poorer countries by 2020. At the Paris climate summit in 2015 (COP21), this goal was extended to last through to 2025. Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, they agreed to negotiate a yet-higher amount that would kick in from 2025.  

Climate Week NYC is taking place 20-26 September. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will convene a closed-door meeting of world leaders at the UN General Assembly later today (Monday).  

A study led by Monash University and published in The Lancet Planetary Health estimates that more than five million extra deaths a year can be attributed to abnormal hot and cold temperatures. The study found deaths related to hot temperatures increased in all regions from 2000 to 2019, indicating that global warming due to climate change will make this mortality figure worse in the future.  

The economies of the G7 nations could see an average loss of 8.5 percent annually by 2050 ―equivalent to $4.8 trillion― if leaders do not take more ambitious action to tackle climate change, according to Oxfam’s analysis of research by the Swiss Re Institute.  

The IMF’s Fiscal Monitor Database summarizes the key fiscal measures governments have announced or taken in selected economies in response to COVID-19.   

Country  

Total spending on COVID-19 fiscal measures (US$ billion)  

Equivalent to meeting the $100 billion climate finance goal X times  

EU (total)  

5,527.40  

55  

EU (national spending)  

4,166.02  

42  

EU (central funds)  

1,361.38  

14  

Australia  

273.89  

3  

Canada  

326.06  

3  

Japan  

2,259.90  

23  

United Kingdom  

892.95  

9  

United States  

5,838.30  

58  

EU, UK, US, Canada, Australia & Japan  

15,118.50  

151  

 

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported that total military expenditure rose to $1,981 billion in 2020 (nearly $2 trillion or $2,000 billion), an increase of 2.6 percent from 2019.  

Oxfam’s Climate Finance Shadow Report 2020 estimates that 80 percent ($47 billion) of all reported public climate finance (2017-18) was not provided in the form of grants, but mostly as loans and other non-grant instruments. Around half of this ($24 billion) was non-concessional, offered on ungenerous terms requiring higher repayments from poor countries. Oxfam calculated that the ‘grant equivalent’ ―the true value of the loans once repayments and interest are deducted― was less than half of the amount reported.  

According to NASA, 2020 was the hottest year on record, effectively tying 2016, the previous record.  

Apart from the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 was dominated by climate-related disasters. These were largely responsible for the 389 recorded events, which resulted in 15,080 deaths, 98.4 million people affected, and economic losses of at least US$171.3 billion.  

A recent report from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre highlighted that from 2008 to 2019, Fiji has been devastated with 30 climate induced disaster events that have displaced 153,000 people. Average annual asset loses due to tropical cyclones and floods are estimated at more than FJ$500 million per year which is about five per cent of Fiji GDP. The World Bank has estimated that almost FJ$9.3 billion (almost 100 percent of GDP) in investment is required over the next 10 years to strengthen Fiji’s resilience to climate change and natural hazards for decades to come. 

Oxfam estimates New Zealand’s fair share of the collective goal would range between NZ$301.5m and $540m per year.  In 2018, New Zealand committed to providing $300 million in climate finance over four years. It has likely exceeded this target, but have not committed to any increase beyond 2022.  

The UN Environment Program (UNEP) estimates that annual adaptation costs in developing countries are expected to reach $140-300 billion in 2030 and $280-500 billion in 2050.  

 

Our obligation to the people of Afghanistan

In an open letter to the minister of foreign affairs (see below), more than 60 civil society organisations and leading individuals call with one voice for the government to increase its efforts when it comes to the crisis in Afghanistan. The call comes as needs grow by the hour, and risks to those on the ground continue to escalate.

The UN Flash appeal on Monday September 13 called for US$600 million to support approximately 11 million people to the end of the year. On Friday last week there was a commitment to $3 million in humanitarian assistance, further to an initial $3 million announced on August 20. The commitment is welcome, however, when it came to the Asian tsunami, New Zealand gave $60 million in new and extra aid. 

Governments around the world have stepped up, both in giving as well as preparing pathways of settlement for the thousands in need of safe refuge. Sadly, New Zealand is not among the leaders when it comes to international efforts. Beyond the initial strict evacuation criteria, there has been no concrete commitment to support those fleeing the country in need of refuge. There has been no concrete commitment to support evacuation and resettlement of the family members of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Afghan community. In fact, despite the rapidly deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, it was not considered a priority to expedite visa applications of Afghan family members already in the system.

It is not yet too late for us to “up our game”, and the situation certainly requires it. 

Our ask is simple: we say the government must become a leader of international efforts. We need more action on aid and pathways of resettlement. We call for concrete measures to enact the prime minister’s commitment “to reassure Afghan women and girls that we will closely follow the developments in their country, listen to their voices, and continue to support their rights and opportunities”. We also ask that the government drive agreement in the international community to ensure there is accountability, that the crimes and human rights violations across Afghanistan will not go undocumented and unnoticed, and the rights and protections of each individual will be robustly fought for.

Open letter to Nanaia Mahuta, minister of foreign affairs

Tēnā koe Minister Mahuta,

We write to you as a collective voice of organisations and individuals in Aotearoa advocating for the rights and protection of Afghan nationals. We welcome the statements New Zealand has made at the United Nations and the efforts taken to evacuate people. However, more action is needed. As a society that values compassion and kindness, we need to ensure that our response meets the scale of the crisis. 

The needs in Afghanistan are growing by the hour. Right now, there are compounding crises taking place, including hunger, displacement, conflict and Covid-19. Basic services are collapsing, and aid is running out. There are ongoing reports of gross human rights abuses. Women, children and those who have worked to promote human rights, democracy and education are among the people most at risk. Urgent action is needed to prevent an even greater humanitarian disaster and to ensure that every individual has their rights and dignity upheld. 

We are concerned that, alongside causing anguish, delays in government action and decisions increase risk of harm to those who need aid from, or safe resettlement to, New Zealand. We collectively call on the government to:

1. Urgently increase humanitarian and development support. The government must:

  • At least double aid to Afghanistan to support local organisations; and
  • Increase humanitarian aid to surrounding countries that are taking in refugees.

2. Establish and ensure safe pathways of relocation and resettlement for Afghan nationals to New Zealand.

Over 21,000 people across Aotearoa have come together to call on the government to take action to help people fleeing Afghanistan. We implore the government to:

  • Evacuate the remaining people in Afghanistan left from the initial mission, and include at-risk individuals connected to New Zealand in these efforts;
  • Welcome at least 1,500 Afghan refugees in this year’s (July 1 2021-June 30 2022) current refugee intake, over and above the current refugee resettlement quota commitments, for those at most immediate risk or with connections to Aotearoa;
  • Expedite visa processing of both the refugee family support category (RFSC) visas and critical purpose visitor visas;
  • Create or re-establish additional humanitarian pathways to support the reunification of families of Afghan New Zealanders not already lodged with RFSC; and
  • Utilise and expand the community sponsorship scheme to create more viable routes for people to come to New Zealand.

3. Establish formal mechanisms to liaise and consult meaningfully with the Afghan community here in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

It is essential that the government increases its efforts to listen to, support and provide relief to New Zealand’s Afghan community. We stand with the 6,000 Afghan New Zealanders, many who worry for the safety of their families and neighbours.

4. Lead international efforts. The government must:

  • Take concrete measures to enact the prime minister’s commitment “to reassure Afghan women and girls that we will closely follow the developments in their country, listen to their voices, and continue to support their rights and opportunities”.
  • Drive agreement in the international community to establish a robust investigative mechanism – with a mandate to document, collect and preserve evidence of ongoing crimes and human rights violations across Afghanistan.

Your government is perceived to be one that practises kindness and is committed to collective action for the betterment of humanity, yet other countries have taken significant steps to address the need for international support and assistance, while New Zealand has not. Canada has announced the resettlement of up to 20,000 vulnerable Afghan nationals and the UK has committed to accepting 20,000 Afghan refugees. The US is expected to admit 50,000 Afghan refugees and has set aside a US$500 million fund that will help meet urgent migration needs. European countries and our Australian neighbours are also taking steps. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is seeking US$606 million to assist nearly 11 million people during the four remaining months of this year. What is required is an international collaborative effort.

The New Zealand government spent 20 years and hundreds of millions of dollars in military expenditure as part of the international intervention in Afghanistan. We have an obligation to the people of Afghanistan to stand by them now. Be it the provision of aid, or safe pathways to New Zealand, the time for response is immediate and the cost of inaction is high. 

We now call on you to do more. 

We look forward to hearing from you shortly.

Yours sincerely,

  • ActionStation 
  • Afghan Cultural Association of Wellington
  • Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand
  • Anglican Missions
  • Aotearoa Resettled Community Coalition (ARCC)
  • Asylum Support Seekers Trust (ASST)
  • Belong Aotearoa
  • Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
  • ChildFund
  • Christian Churches New Zealand
  • Christian World Service
  • Community Law Centres O Aotearoa
  • Congregational Union of New Zealand
  • Council for International Development
  • ECPAT NZ
  • Fairtrade ANZ
  • Hagar
  • Hazara Afghan Youth Association (HAYA)
  • Hazara Association of New Zealand
  • Methodist Church of New Zealand
  • NZBMS (New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society)
  • Oxfam Aotearoa
  • ReliefAid 
  • Save the Children
  • Tearfund
  • The Gender Justice Collective
  • The National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago
  • Tutapona International
  • UN Women Aotearoa New Zealand
  • United Afghan Association of Canterbury
  • Vineyard Churches Aotearoa New Zealand
  • Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand
  • World Vision New Zealand
  • Alberto Costi, professor, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
  • Amin Vakili, Civil Society Activist and members of the Afghan Cultural Association of Wellington
  • Archbishop Don Tamihere, te pihopa o Aotearoa
  • Archbishop Philip Richardson, bishop of Waikato and Taranaki
  • Associate professor Bethan Greener PhD, Massey
  • Blake Dawson, barrister (Brandon Street Chambers)
  • Bridget Crichton (Fa’amatuainu), lecturer, AUT School of Law
  • Carol Peters, PhD, QSM, Whangarei district councillor
  • Dr Arif Ali, Hazara Association of New Zealand and Afghan Cultural Association of Wellington.
  • Dr Charles Mpofu, senior lecturer
  • Dr Marnie Lloydd, lecturer, Victoria University of Wellington
  • Dr Natalia Szablewska, international human rights and humanitarian law expert, Auckland University of Technology
  • Dr Heather Devere, director of practice, Te Ao o Rongmaraeroa/National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies
  • Eleanor Holroyd, co-director AUT Centre of Migrant and Refugee Research
  • James Meager, public law solicitor 
  • Jane Verbitsky, associate professor 
  • Javid Nazari, president of Afghan Cultural Association of Wellington
  • John McBride, Barrister 
  • Marianne Elliott, human rights advocate
  • Mohammad Raqiz Nabizadah, member of Afghan Cultural Association of Wellington 
  • Monique van Alphen Fyfe, barrister | Rōia Tūtahi (Stout Street Chambers)
  • Natalie Baird, associate professor, Faculty of Law | Te Kaupeka Ture, University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
  • Nicola Muir, author
  • Paul Rishworth QC
  • Right Reverend Fakaofo Kaio, moderator, Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa NZ
  • Shakerah Zakeri, member of the Afghan community
  • Sulaiman Sarwary, PHD student and member of Aotearoa’s Afghan Community 
  • Wendy Aldred, barrister (Stout Street Chambers)

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