UN Urges Greater Support for Afghan Returnees as Displacement Pressures Mount
UN Urges Greater Support for Afghan Returnees as Displacement Pressures Mount
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UNHCR and other UN agencies are urging stronger international support for Afghan returnees and displaced communities as Afghanistan faces large-scale returns from Iran and Pakistan, deepening pressure on housing, jobs, healthcare and humanitarian services.
The United Nations refugee agency has called for increased support for Afghan returnees and displaced communities, stressing that returns must be safe, voluntary and dignified as Afghanistan faces a growing influx of people from neighboring countries.
Marking World Refugee Day on June 20, UNHCR said it honors the resilience and courage of refugees, displaced people and returnees, while emphasizing that sustainable reintegration is essential for stability, recovery and long-term reconstruction.
Afghanistan has received large numbers of returnees from Pakistan and Iran, where authorities have tightened policies toward undocumented Afghan migrants. UNHCR reported that about 2.9 million Afghans returned in 2025, many under difficult conditions and with limited access to basic services. Earlier UN assessments warned that more than 5 million Afghans had returned since late 2023, placing severe strain on the country’s already fragile aid system.
Humanitarian agencies say many families arrive with few resources and face major obstacles in securing shelter, work, healthcare and education. Aid workers have warned that reduced funding is making it harder to support both returnees and host communities.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres used World Refugee Day to call for stronger global solidarity with refugees and displaced people, urging governments to support those forced to flee as well as the communities that receive them.
The crisis comes amid continuing concerns over the rights of Afghan women and girls, who remain among the most vulnerable groups. Since 2021, restrictions on education, employment, movement and public life have deepened hardship, particularly for women-headed households, returnees and displaced families.
The UN Security Council this week extended the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan until June 2027 and urged Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to reverse restrictions on women and uphold humanitarian access without discrimination.
Aid agencies say sustained international engagement is needed to prevent further deterioration and help returnee families rebuild their lives.
