UNHCR Afghanistan

16/04/2026

Recent conflict has impacted nearly 35k people in southeastern Afghanistan. As part of the response, UNHCR, together with other UN and humanitarian agencies, is supporting affected families with tents, solar lamps & core relief items to help meet their urgent needs.

10/04/2026

UNHCR Afghanistan visited Salam Watandar, a major radio network in Afghanistan reaching 22M people across all provinces. They play a key role in news delivery, including with many female journalists across the country. We discussed collaboration to amplify returnee voices and stories.

09/04/2026

Last week, UNHCR Representative, Arafat Jamal visited Kandahar, one of the main areas where Afghan families are returning from Pakistan and rebuilding their lives, and where UNHCR is scaling up support. Watch 📽️

08/04/2026

Last week, Regi Kalacha School was inaugurated as part of 6 new schools in Kandahar. With support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the schools will provide education for nearly 8k students. Japan’s support helps returnees rebuild their lives with dignity & hope.

02/04/2026

UNHCR was pleased to host the World Bank Country Director today at its women’s business centre in Kabul, hearing from returnee women on expanding livelihood opportunities and strengthening reintegration—an effort in which the World Bank remains a critical and steadfast actor.

24/03/2026

Important New York Times reporting from the Iran–Afghanistan border. UNHCR’s Spokesperson warns that conflict in Iran is severely impacting Afghan families reliant on daily labour — a potential driver of returns, as Afghanistan’s reintegration capacity is at breaking point.

The war in Iran is choking off Afghanistan’s main economic lifeline and has forced at least 70,000 Afghan workers and students there back home to a nation embroiled in another conflict.

21/03/2026

12/03/2026

Today in Herat, RC/HC Indrika Ratwatte, Arafat Jamal, and community leaders inaugurated a UNHCR carpet-weaving centre — the largest in the west. With generous support from IsDB, the centre is initially supporting 400 returnees — more than 3/4 of them women — with livelihoods.

Some 2 million Afghans have returned from Iran over the past year. Rebuilding sustainable livelihoods — especially for women — is one of the key needs people tell us about when they arrive back, and remains a key priority for the UN.

11/03/2026

UNHCR spokesperson speaking from the Islam Qala border between Iran and Afghanistan, where Afghan families are returning home amid conflict in Iran. Watch:

11/03/2026

Thanks to the generous support of 🇯🇵 Japan, UNHCR is scaling up emergency assistance for Afghans returning from Iran and Pakistan, alongside vulnerable host communities. Over 116,000 people will receive cash, protection and shelter support.

Read here:

AFGHANISTAN – The Government of Japan has contributed USD 2 million to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to provide emergency assistance to Afghans returning from Iran and Pakistan, as well as vulnerable host communities across Afghanistan.