After years of providing refuge to Afghan migrants escaping turmoil in their homeland, Pakistan and Iran have increased deportations, sending back millions of individuals to a struggling Afghanistan.
Upon their return to Afghanistan, whether accompanied by family or alone, Afghan migrants are faced with the challenge of starting anew in a country grappling with poverty and environmental issues.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that over five million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan since September 2023, representing about 10% of Afghanistan’s population. A significant portion of these returnees, totaling three million, made their way back just last year, after spending extended periods abroad.
Managing such a large influx of people poses a considerable challenge for Afghanistan, as acknowledged by Mutya Izora Maskun, the IOM’s deputy head in Afghanistan.
Following their return, a survey conducted by the IOM revealed that 80% of returnees lacked permanent housing months after arriving, resorting to makeshift shelters constructed from materials like mud and stone. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) found that a majority of families shared living spaces with multiple individuals due to financial constraints.
Employment opportunities for returnees are scarce, with only 11% of adults who were repatriated from Pakistan and Iran being employed full-time, according to the IOM survey. The average monthly income for those returning in the early months of last year ranged from $22 to $147, as reported by the UNHCR.
Furthermore, more than half of returning households face electricity shortages, and a significant number of households led by women struggle to access safe drinking water, emphasizing their increased vulnerabilities.
To address the housing crisis, the Afghan government has distributed over 3,000 plots of land to returnees across the country. Hamdullah Fitrat, the government’s deputy spokesman, noted that the land distribution process was expedited following a meeting with supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.
Upon arrival in Afghanistan, returnees are provided with assistance such as transportation, a SIM card, and a small financial aid package to support their initial resettlement efforts.
