UNITED NATIONS, Jul 05 : Afghan women returning to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan face significant hardship and suffering, according to a new UN-led report.<\/p>\n
Many are returning, to a country where their fundamental rights and safety are severely threatened.<\/p>\n
Since September 2023, more than 2.43 million undocumented Afghan migrants have returned from Iran and Pakistan.<\/p>\n
Women and girls account for about half of the returnees from Pakistan, while their share among those returning from Iran has been steadily rising, reaching around 30 per cent in June.<\/p>\n
The escalating pace of returns is straining Afghanistan\u2019s overstretched humanitarian system, with women and girls bearing the brunt of the impact, reported the Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group, a consortium of humanitarian actors led by UN Women and the UN reproductive health agency (UNFPA).<\/p>\n
Those traveling without a mahram \u2013 a male guardian \u2013 face particular risks. Interviews and discussions conducted by
\nWorking Group revealed reports of extortion, harassment and threats of violence at border crossings.<\/p>\n
Returnees face rising exposure to gender-based violence, early and forced marriage, trafficking and transactional sex \u2013 exacerbated by a lack of basic resources.<\/p>\n
A humanitarian worker in Kandahar recounted: \u201cA widow with four daughters was looking to see if she could sell one or two daughters to someone here to have money for survival.\u201d<\/p>\n
Humanitarian agencies report a critical shortage of safe spaces and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS), especially at border crossings, where many women arrive distressed and disoriented.<\/p>\n
Across provinces, women cite shelter, livelihoods and girls\u2019 education as top needs.<\/p>\n
Only 10 per cent of women-headed households live in permanent shelters, and nearly four in ten fear eviction. In Herat, 71 per cent of women reported rent disputes, and 45 per cent of women-headed households were living in inadequate housing.<\/p>\n
Women who previously worked in trades such as tailoring or handicrafts now struggle to restart due to a lack of tools, restrictions on movement, and limited networks or documentation.<\/p>\n
With returns expected to continue, humanitarian agencies urge the scale-up of gender-responsive services, including safe spaces, mental health care, livelihood support and education access.<\/p>\n
UN Women and its partners are calling for increased funding and sustained international support to meet the urgent and long-term needs of Afghan returnee women and girls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNITED NATIONS, Jul 05 : Afghan women returning to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan face significant hardship and suffering, according to a new UN-led report. Many are returning, to a country where their fundamental rights and safety are severely threatened. Since September 2023, more than […]<\/p>\n
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