Afghan kids returning from Pakistan experience grim reality, study says

A survey released Thursday shows that nearly 250,000 children have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan in the past seven months, lacking basic necessities such as food, shelter, and access to education, VOA reported yesterday.

According to the study by Save the Children, over 520,000 Afghans have returned home from Pakistan since September 2023, with almost half of them being children.

It adds that, despite attending school in Pakistan, 65% of the returning children are not enrolled in school in Afghanistan due to lack of necessary documents.

The survey also highlighted the severe food insecurity faced by returnees and host communities, with many families having to reduce portion sizes or borrow food to survive.

The dire conditions in Afghanistan are exacerbated by years of conflict and recent natural disasters, leaving nearly 8 million children in the country facing crisis levels of hunger.

The United Nations estimates that close to 16 million Afghans in the country face severe food insecurity.