The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has warned that a sharp decline in international funding has forced the scaling back of essential support programmes for Afghan returnees, as the country struggles to absorb millions of people returning from Iran and Pakistan.
In a statement issued this week, the agency said it requires $216 million in 2025 to meet the needs of returning Afghans but has so far received only 28 per cent of the required funding. As a result, UNHCR has significantly reduced its assistance in areas such as shelter, livelihoods, and cash support.
According to UNHCR, more than 2 million Afghans have returned to the country this year, either voluntarily or through forced deportations, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in a nation already reeling from economic collapse, conflict, and widespread displacement.
“The scale of returns is placing immense pressure on already overstretched resources,” the agency said, noting that nearly half of Afghanistan’s population now depends on humanitarian aid.
UNHCR also reiterated earlier warnings about the risks facing returning refugees, particularly women and girls. The agency said that many returnees have reported “disturbing accounts of restrictions, harassment, and discrimination” since arriving back in Afghanistan.
The situation remains critical as deportations continue from neighbouring countries and humanitarian actors struggle to meet basic needs in the face of persistent funding shortfalls.
