“Voice Up” in the German Federal Parliament:
Afghan Youth Demand Participation Instead of a “Waiting Room”
Berlin, 05 December 2025 – It was a powerful and symbolic moment: more than 50 people filled a hall in the German Federal Parliament. Not as visitors, but as active contributors. At the invitation of Member of Parliament Hakan Demir, Baaham e.V.’s project “Voice Up” celebrated its official closing event.
At the heart of the evening was a clear message:
The Afghan community in Berlin no longer wants to be the subject of political debate—they want to actively shape their future.
Evidence-Based Analysis, Not Intuition
The evening began not with demands but with facts.
Mitra Hashemi presented the findings of months of research, based on 60 qualitative interviews with Afghan youth in Berlin.
Her analysis revealed a generation that is “ready to move forward” but systematically held back. Hashemi described it as a “life in the waiting room”:
Legal insecurity (chain tolerations, §22 complications) prevents long-term life planning.
Psychological pressure from transnational stress and fear for family members under Taliban rule affects daily life.
Bureaucratic obstacles push young talent into precarious helper jobs instead of enabling educational advancement.
The Catalogue of Demands: Concrete and Constructive
The core of the evening was the presentation of the “Catalogue of Future Demands.”
The youth of “Voice Up” highlighted solutions directly rooted in their lived reality, structured into three areas:
1. Legal Security & Humanitarian Responsibility
No cooperation with terrorists: Immediate end to consular cooperation with the Taliban. German authorities must provide safe alternatives for passport issuance because contact with persecutors is unreasonable.
End of uncertainty: A long-term residency perspective instead of short-term extensions, especially for those admitted through the Federal Admission Program (§22).
Safe pathways: A reliable program for family reunification and legal channels for financial support to families.
2. Education & Empowerment
School for all: Education is a human right and must not depend on age. Youth demand access to regular schools even for individuals over 18.
No segregation: A clear rejection of separate “camp schools” inside accommodations—successful integration only happens together.
Recognition: Simplified recognition of qualifications and the introduction of Dari/Pashto as elective subjects.
3. Participation
Establishing a permanent consultation mechanism between the federal government and the diaspora.
Mandatory anti-racism training for public authorities.
Panel Discussion: “From Idea to Political Platform”
A high-level panel discussed how these demands can be translated into real political action, moderated by Navid Hashemi (Baaham e.V.).
Host Hakan Demir (MP, SPD), together with Berlin parliamentarians Jian Omar (Greens) and Orkan Özdemir (SPD), Pankow Integration Commissioner Forouzan Forough, and lawyer Mehria Ashoftah, agreed on one key point:
Bureaucratic barriers—especially passport procedures and access to education—must be reduced so that this generation’s potential is not lost.
An Emotional Conclusion
The evening concluded with the ceremonial awarding of participation certificates.
Moderators Mehria and Morsal emphasized:
“This catalogue has now been presented. The ‘Voice Up’ project formally ends today—but our voices will not fall silent.”
Baaham e.V. thanks all participants, supporters, and guests for this historic evening. We will continue the dialogue.
Full catalogue of demands as PDF:
