A Nation Of Refugees: Afghanistan's Ongoing Displacement Crisis

Afghanistan has been suffering from conflict, natural disasters, poverty, and food insecurity for over 40 years. Afghans are one of the largest refugee populations worldwide, with 2.6 million registered refugees across the globe, 2.2 million of whom are in Iran and Pakistan alone. Since 2021, 1.6 million Afghans have fled the country, bringing the total number of Afghans in neighbouring countries to 8.2 million. This accounts for one of the largest protracted refugee situations in the world.

Afghans have been seeking refuge in other countries for over 40 years

Afghanistan has been plagued by conflict, natural disasters, chronic poverty, food insecurity, and political upheaval for over 40 years. The country's instability has forced millions of Afghans to flee their homes and seek refuge in other countries. The first major wave of displacement occurred following the 1978 Saur Revolution and the subsequent Soviet invasion in 1979, which led to more than 20% of Afghanistan's population fleeing the country. Many refugees returned after the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, but the civil war in the 1990s triggered another exodus. Over 6 million Afghan refugees were residing in Iran and Pakistan by 2000, and this number continued to grow in the following years.

Afghan refugees represent one of the world's largest protracted refugee populations. They have been forced from their homes, seeking safety in neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Iran, and India, as well as in Europe and North America. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that there are currently over 2.6 million registered Afghan refugees worldwide, with the majority concentrated in Iran and Pakistan. In addition, there are more than 3.5 million internally displaced people in Afghanistan itself, who have fled their homes in search of refuge within the country.

The living conditions for Afghan refugees are often challenging, marked by discrimination, prejudice, and limited access to essential resources such as employment, shelter, and healthcare. They constantly face the threat of deportation, with Pakistan and Iran, in particular, engaging in mass deportations in recent years. Despite these difficulties, some refugees have successfully resettled in countries like the United States, Canada, and those in Europe, where they have found peace and dignity.

The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has severe consequences, pushing the resilience of refugees, internally displaced people, and host communities to their limits. The impact of conflict, violence, and poverty has been devastating, particularly for women and children, who make up a significant proportion of those displaced. The fundamental rights of women and girls are under threat, and the lack of access to education and healthcare exacerbates the situation. The prolonged nature of the crisis has led to intensified efforts by organisations like UNHCR to provide emergency shelter, food, health, and water sanitation support to those in need.

As of 2023, there were at least 8.2 million Afghans hosted across 103 different countries, making them the third-largest displaced population globally, after Syrian and Ukrainian refugees. The United States has played a significant role in welcoming Afghan refugees, especially those who served as translators or interpreters during the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. Other countries, including Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia, have also received evacuated Afghans and provided them with close to equal rights and a path towards permanent residency.

Pakistan and Iran have hosted the majority of Afghan refugees

Afghanistan has been suffering from conflict, natural disasters, poverty, and food insecurity for over 40 years. Afghans have been forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in neighbouring countries. Pakistan and Iran have hosted the majority of Afghan refugees.

The first major wave of Afghan refugees fled to Pakistan in the late 1970s due to violence in their country. The numbers swelled after the Soviet invasion in 1979, and by the end of 1980, there were over four million Afghan refugees in Pakistan. In 1990, there were 6.3 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Iran. Over the years, the number of Afghan refugees in Pakistan has fluctuated, with some returning to Afghanistan and others being coerced or forced to leave. In 2023, Pakistan hosted over 1.5 million registered Afghan refugees and another one million unregistered Afghans.

Afghan refugees in Pakistan have been allowed to move freely but have had few other rights. Pakistan is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, so Afghan refugees have been denied access to formal education, the ability to open a bank account, work, or buy property, and have even been denied access to healthcare. In recent years, the Pakistani government has coerced and forced Afghan refugees to return to Afghanistan through mass detention, seizure of property, destruction of identity documents, and other widespread abuses. Since mid-September 2023, Pakistani authorities have forced out more than 375,000 Afghans, including those born and raised in Pakistan who have never lived in Afghanistan.

Iran has hosted the second-largest population of Afghan refugees. In 2020, there were around 780,000 registered Afghan refugees in Iran, and another 2.6 million who were undocumented or had received a headcount laissez-passer. In recent years, the Iranian government has slowly introduced policies to increase the provision and renewal of Amayesh cards, which grant registered refugees conditional freedom of movement, temporary work permits, and access to the national education and healthcare systems. However, the lack of documentation creates numerous challenges for Afghan refugees in accessing medical services, education, and livelihood opportunities, and exposes them to the risk of arbitrary arrest, involuntary return, and movement restrictions. In 2023, around 600,000 Afghans returned to Afghanistan from Iran.

The number of Afghan refugees has increased since the Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021

Afghanistan has been suffering from conflict, natural disasters, chronic poverty, food insecurity, and political upheaval for over 40 years. The Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021 intensified instability and violence in the country, triggering a new wave of displacement. More than 1.6 million Afghans have fled the country since 2021, bringing the total number of Afghan refugees in neighboring countries to 8.2 million. This figure accounts for one of the largest protracted refugee situations globally.

The events leading up to the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in 2021 exacerbated displacement throughout Afghanistan. The impact of the conflict on women and girls has been particularly devastating, with over 70% of those forcibly displaced within the country being women and children. The fundamental rights of women and girls are under threat, and many children are out of school. The prolonged nature of the crisis has stretched the resilience of Afghans and their host communities to the limit.

Afghan refugees are seeking safety in various countries around the world. Pakistan and Iran have been the primary hosts, accommodating over 2 million registered Afghan refugees between them. Other countries in the region, such as India, have also received a significant number of Afghan refugees. In addition, some Afghans have found refuge in North America and Europe, with countries like Canada and the United States establishing special programs to resettle vulnerable Afghans.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been actively supporting Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons. They provide emergency shelter, food, health care, water, sanitation, and other essential assistance to those in need. UNHCR also facilitates voluntary repatriation for Afghan refugees when it is safe and dignified to do so. However, returning refugees often face challenges such as war, poverty, and limited access to healthcare in Afghanistan.

The international community has recognized the need for solidarity and responsibility-sharing in addressing the Afghan refugee crisis. Efforts such as the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) aim to build consensus, strengthen partnerships, and engage new actors in finding solutions. Despite these efforts, the crisis in Afghanistan persists, and the needs of those affected continue to grow.

Afghan refugees are the third-largest displaced population in the world

Afghanistan has been suffering from conflict, natural disasters, chronic poverty, food insecurity, and political changes for over 40 years. The country has been producing refugees since the Afghan-Soviet war, the Afghan civil war, and the Afghanistan war (2001-2021). The first major wave of internal displacement and international migration occurred after the 1978 Saur Revolution and the 1979 Soviet invasion, which caused more than 20% of Afghanistan's population to flee the country.

The prolonged nature of the crisis has led to intensified efforts to support Afghan refugees and the host communities in Iran and Pakistan, which have accommodated them for decades. These efforts include initiatives to facilitate their voluntary return and sustainable reintegration. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is committed to staying in Afghanistan and delivering emergency responses to those in need.

Afghan refugees face significant challenges, including malnutrition, lack of access to education, and income reduction. The impact of conflict on women and children has been particularly devastating, with over 70% of those forcibly displaced within Afghanistan being women and children. The resilience of Afghans and their host communities is being stretched to the limit as the humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate.

Afghan refugees have been resettled in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia. These countries provide government benefits and protections to stateless refugees and asylum seekers.

The UNHCR is providing aid to Afghan refugees and those displaced within the country

Afghanistan has been suffering from conflict, natural disasters, chronic poverty, and food insecurity for over 40 years. The country is facing an ongoing humanitarian crisis, and the resilience of refugees, internally displaced people, and host communities is slowly reaching its limit. Afghans make up one of the largest refugee populations worldwide.

The UNHCR is committed to staying and delivering in Afghanistan to protect the most vulnerable and assist Afghans with life-saving shelter, food, water, core relief items, and psycho-social support within Afghanistan and neighbouring countries. The UNHCR has also facilitated the voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Iran, Pakistan, and other countries, ensuring that their return is voluntary, safe, dignified, and durable. Since 2002, the UNHCR has supported the return of over 5.3 million refugees to Afghanistan.

Afghan returnees are provided with cash grants, basic health services, malnutrition screening, vaccinations, mine risk education, information on school enrollment, and overnight transit assistance. They are also assisted with reintegration into their communities. The UNHCR has been working with authorities in some of the countries neighbouring Afghanistan to plan and prepare for potential future movements of Afghan refugees.

The UNHCR has been providing vital humanitarian relief to the millions of people in Afghanistan who are experiencing misery and hunger amid decades of conflict, economic collapse, drought, and freezing winter temperatures. The organization has been delivering emergency shelter, food, health, water, and sanitation support, cash assistance, and psycho-social support within Afghanistan and neighbouring countries. During the winter, the UNHCR has provided targeted assistance such as blankets, stoves, solar lanterns, insulation kits, and support for heating, clothing, and vital household supplies.

The UNHCR is also working to protect the rights of refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people, ensuring that they have the right to seek asylum and find refuge from violence, persecution, or war in their home countries. The organization has been advocating for the rights and well-being of those who have been forced to flee and those denied a nationality.

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