© UNICEF/O. Fasel Afghans are returning from Iran to Afghanistan. Afghanistan is experiencing one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises Humanitarian aid
Afghanistan is facing one of the world’s largest displacement crises. People are forced to leave their homes due to poverty, drought and earthquakes.
Four decades of war, mass returns, climate shocks, a faltering economy and declining women’s participation in the country are eroding livelihoods and straining essential services. This is stated in a new socio-economic review of Afghanistan prepared by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
“In Afghanistan, crises rarely happen one at a time,” said UNDP chief Alexander De Croo, who is visiting Afghanistan with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih. UN representatives are meeting with returning Afghans, local humanitarian partners and country officials.
Support for a new life
In the past year alone, a devastating earthquake has destroyed many homes and deprived people of their livelihoods, while while poverty is still a harsh reality for the majority of the country’s inhabitants.
Today, 74 percent of Afghanistan’s population, or about 29 million people, face a lack of basic necessities. UNDP provides support to internally displaced people and their host communities, helping them rebuild their livelihoods and rebuild their lives. During the joint visit, the heads of UN agencies visited the city of Jalalabad, where they met with communities affected by the earthquakes. They also visited the Sutan Valley, which, according to Alexander de Croo, “became an example of successful restoration.” Thus, as part of flood protection and irrigation development projects, women make metal mesh structures, and men make bricks for the construction of protective structures. Such measures help reduce the risk of natural disasters, protect farmland and create new sources of income.
“Emergency support saves lives, and development assistance helps people rebuild their lives,” said de Croo.
Foundation for Long-Term Recovery
UN agencies are working to achieve these and other common goals. For example, an initiative supported by the UN Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan and launched last year is helping to lay the foundation for long-term solutions in the northeast of the country. It aims to prepare local communities for return, support returning Afghans and create conditions for sustainable recovery.
In addition, the Collaborative Action for Integrated Development of Return Areas project aims to improve access to housing, basic services and income-generating opportunities, and improve the living conditions of host communities, returning Afghans and internally displaced persons in 69 communities across three provincial districts Kunduz and Baghlan.
At the same time, UNHCR is implementing a comprehensive approach along displacement routes, aiming to reduce risks for people in transit and strengthen asylum systems.
As more than 570,000 Afghans are projected to require resettlement in third countries in 2026 countries, UNHCR intends to expand opportunities for their reception, including through programs for education, labor mobility and family reunification.