The ‘I Welcome Pledge’ asked New Zealanders if they supported community sponsorship of refugees and if they would like to see the current pilot become an annual programme. In all, over 10,000 people have added their voices so far to the Pledge. More information is available at https://www.iwelcome.org.nz/, where you can pledge your support for creating communities that welcome refugees.

The government is currently considering whether to continue the pilot community sponsorship programme. Amnesty International has reviewed the pilot and is strongly recommending it be extended as an annual pathway for refugees underpinned by four important principles: permanence, partnership, humanitarian, and additionality. You can read some of the success stories and the full report of the Amnesty International review here.