The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that for many Afghans returning from Iran and Pakistan, the first plan made at the border rarely becomes reality.
In its latest Returnee Resilience Overview for Afghanistan, the organisation found that nearly one in four returnees did not settle in the district they initially said they would return to.
“Findings show 24 per cent of returnee individuals… were not living in their intended return district at the time of interview,” the report says.
IOM adds that return is often followed by more movement inside the country. Nearly one-third of respondents “had lived in more than one location since arriving back in Afghanistan,” with lack of economic opportunities and limited housing among the main drivers.
Documentation is one of the biggest pressure points. Only about one-third of returnee households reported that all members had civil documentation, while most were partially documented.
IOM warns that missing papers directly block access to basic services and longer-term stability, noting that “missing tazkira, birth certificates, and marriage certificates… pose barriers to accessing education, healthcare, legal services, property claims, and mobility.”
Livelihoods appeared even more fragile as IOM found that only 11% of adults were fully employed in the month before interviews, despite respondents having been back in Afghanistan for at least eight months.
The report also says 56% of households were not able to cover basic expenses, underlining heavy reliance on loans, donations and asset sales.
IOM’s survey covers undocumented returnees who received assistance at border points between 15 September 2023 and 31 December 2024, a period in which it estimates about 2.4 million people returned from Iran and Pakistan.
AnewZ has contacted Afghanistan’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation for comment on the findings.
Uzbekistan is combining renewable energy expansion with sweeping land restoration, installing solar stations in local communities while rehabilitating...
Kyiv is preparing to outline a simultaneous return to the ballot box and a public vote on a potential peace settlement, the Financial Times reports. I...
The Philippine foreign ministry on Wednesday (11 February) called on the Chinese Embassy in Manila to adopt a “constructive” tone in its statement...
Measles cases across Europe and Central Asia fell sharply in 2025 compared to the previous year but health officials have warned that the risk of fres...
Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid, who won bronze in the men’s biathlon at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday (10 February) in Italy, ...
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has accused Afghanistan’s authorities of fostering conditions “similar to or worse than pre-9/11”, as tensions between the two neighbours intensify amid a surge in militant attacks inside Pakistan.
Afghan officials and international partners met in Kabul on Wednesday (4 February) for the fourth meeting of the Doha Process Working Group on Counter-Narcotics, with officials citing a reduction in poppy cultivation to “nearly zero” as efforts to curb drug production and trafficking were reviewed.
Afghanistan Ministry of Public Health has launched the country’s first polio vaccination campaign of 2026, saying around 7.3 million children under the age of five are expected to receive oral drops during the round.
Freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall have pushed vulnerable Afghan families to breaking point, adding new pressure to a country already battered by poverty and food shortages.
JD Vance arrived in Armenia on Monday (9 February), becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit the country, as Yerevan and Washington agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector in a bid to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus.
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a strategic partnership in Baku on Tuesday (10 February) encompassing economic and security cooperation as Washington seeks to expand its influence in a region where Russia was once the main power broker.
António José Seguro’s decisive victory over far-right challenger André Ventura marks an historic moment in Portuguese politics, but analysts caution that the result does not amount to a rejection of populism.
Buckingham Palace said it is ready to support any police investigation into allegations that Prince Andrew shared confidential British trade documents with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as King Charles expressed “profound concern” over the latest revelations.
Iran’s atomic energy chief says Tehran could dilute uranium enriched to 60 per cent if all international sanctions are lifted, stressing that technical nuclear issues are being discussed alongside political matters in ongoing negotiations.
The Philippine foreign ministry on Wednesday (11 February) called on the Chinese Embassy in Manila to adopt a “constructive” tone in its statements, amid an intensifying war of words between Chinese diplomats and Philippine officials, including senators.
Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid, who won bronze in the men’s biathlon at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday (10 February) in Italy, stunned viewers by publicly admitting he had cheated on his girlfriend and pleaded for another chance during post-race interviews.
Kyiv is preparing to outline a simultaneous return to the ballot box and a public vote on a potential peace settlement, the Financial Times reports. It would mark a pivotal shift in the country's political landscape on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 11th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A proposed multinational peacekeeping force for Gaza could involve around 20,000 personnel, with Indonesia estimating it may contribute up to 8,000, a spokesman for Prabowo Subianto said on Tuesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment