Struggles Mount for Afghan Returnees Amid Economic Hardships

Afghan migrants who have returned to their homeland after years abroad are facing serious challenges related to employment and housing.

Six Million Afghan Migrants Return Home in Last Three Years

An Afghan family that returned from Pakistan eight months ago is struggling to find work. One family member, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed concerns over the lack of job opportunities and the challenges of meeting basic needs, stating, “I have faced rejections everywhere I have applied for work.”

Another woman in Kabul, who also requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of her situation, lamented her homelessness along with her children, saying, “Right now, we are living at the homes of relatives and friends, and we genuinely do not know how long this situation will continue.”

Unprecedented Statistics on the Return of Migrants to Afghanistan

These two stories are just a glimpse into the difficulties faced by millions of Afghans who have returned to their country in recent years. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, approximately six million Afghan migrants have returned home in less than three years, marking an unprecedented situation. Additionally, the International Organization for Migration recently reported that nearly four million Afghans have returned from neighboring countries in the last eighteen months.

In the first two weeks of August this year, 48,000 Afghan migrants returned from Iran and Pakistan. This occurs in the context of Afghanistan facing severe economic poverty and a significant decline in international aid.

Challenges Faced by Returning Afghans

As the number of returnees increases, issues such as unemployment and lack of shelter have become major problems. Despite claims from the Taliban government regarding the establishment of dozens of settlements for these migrants, many returnees report that the process of land distribution is moving slowly, and the allocated lands are very limited. Hamdullah Fetrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban, announced that land distribution is currently underway in around 30 settlements, with 59,133 plots of land allocated to returnees thus far.