UN Report Highlights Dire Educational and Health Challenges for Afghan Refugee Children in Pakistan

According to the latest findings from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, approximately 77% of Afghan refugee children in Pakistan are deprived of access to education and skill training due to a lack of valid identity documents and constant fear of detention and expulsion by security forces.

The report thoroughly examines the living conditions of refugees, emphasizing that poverty and pressing financial needs have forced many children out of classrooms and into the streets or labor workshops. The situation is particularly dire among orphaned children, with 73% of boys and 82% of girls without guardians forced into hard labor to survive. Alarmingly, half of all child refugees lack even basic healthcare services, which heightens the risks of infectious diseases and malnutrition in camps.

The psychological effects of forced migration, poverty, and security threats have severely impacted the mental health of Afghan children. Surveys indicate that 70% of these children struggle with depression, and nearly half suffer from chronic anxiety. Moreover, ongoing threats such as arbitrary detention, physical violence, and even forced marriages pose significant risks to the daily lives of this vulnerable group. The pressures they face not only affect their present circumstances but also jeopardize their future social and mental well-being.