in time zones also make communication difficult, both among exiled HRDs living in different countries and between them and HRDs still in Afghanistan. The lack of sufficient language proficiency has also been pointed out as a practical communication challenge for many HRDs operating in exile, hindering their ability to establish meaningful contacts with relevant networks in their host communities. Although language barrier remains a short-term problem that could be solved by attending language courses, HRDs agreed that it has presently impacted their personal well-being in exile, leading to their isolation from the host community. This problem is more visible among HRDs settled in countries where English is not the first language in comparison to those residing in English-spoken countries, such as Ireland, Canada and the USA. Given the challenges stemming from lack of or limited language proficiency, many HRDs also faced difficulties in getting their academic diplomas and professional qualifications recognised in host countries, leading to barriers in securing employment or continuing their human rights work. The lack of recognition of academic diplomas obtained from Afghanistan not only limits HRDs’ professional opportunities but also undermines the valuable experiences and expertise they bring to human rights work that isolate them further and diminish their positive impacts. For instance, a WHRD based in Canada, narrated her problem as such, “I feel like having lost my identity in Canada, especially when my academic documents and certificates were not recognised.”54 These degrees and qualifications often fail to fulfill the academic requirements and standards of job markets as cited by the relevant 54 Anonymous, “Afghanistan Women Human Rights Defenders,” In an Interview with the Author, May 20, 2024. 22 authorities in host countries. During interviews and focus groups discussions, HRDs also emphasised that the politicisation of human rights work has had negative implications on national and global commitments to human rights, as a broader context. Countries, often in the West, previously considered to be vanguards of democracy and human rights, now speak of human rights when it suits their political interest. This instrumental notion of human rights, combined with regional conflicts like those in Ukraine and the Middle East, largely derailed global attention from the ongoing miseries in Afghanistan. Additionally, the rise of anti-refugee sentiments and Islamophobia in the wider context of radical right-wing revival in Europe has also impacted Afghanistan’s HRDs in these countries. Some of the HRDs and their families are financially dependent on local state-funded social benefits, and therefore, local housing companies and property owners are unwilling to offer them accommodation. As a result, they live in refugee camps or in crowded sharedroom apartments, lacking the proper space and resources to continue their human rights work. One HRD based in Germany shared his experience of living in a refugee camp: “I live in a refugee camp sharing my room with three others. After I settled in Germany, I was asked several times to talk to the media but the 'living condition’ in my room did not allow me to do so.”55 2.2. Security Threats and Discrimination Against HRDs in Exile The experiences shared by most of HRDs in exile also shows a growing discrimination in their host countries, as well as great security risk of reprisals against their family 55 Anonymous, “Afghanistan Human Rights Defender based in Germany,” In an Interview with the Author, June 25, 2024.