With grassroots insights from Caritas Cyprus, scholars at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House examined the “safe third country” designation through a human rights lens and offer reflections on how it might be re-imagined as a rights-based tool for protection rather than a discretionary tool for exclusion. The “Safeguarding Human Rights under the EU’s Safe Third Country Policy” policy paper suggests—indeed advocates—that EU policymakers re-envision the new Migration Pact’s STC concept to ensure that it serves as a protection tool for individuals seeking international protection, rather than a discretionary tool for exclusion and externalization. Using three case-study hypotheticals, it puts a human face on what the application of the new Pact’s STC provisions could mean for real people. Overall, the report seeks to contribute to ongoing discussions related to one of the most controversial issues challenging the European Union today—the management of migration. It supports Caritas Cyprus’ mission—one that mirrors that of the global Caritas Internationalis confederation—to advocate for dignity and agency for all vulnerable people, including those on the move.