Seventeen women have given birth at emergency healthcare centers at border points while crossing into Afghanistan from Pakistan since April 1.
According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Afghanistan, the birth of these babies, to mothers being forcibly expelled from Pakistan, highlights the urgent need for medical and maternity healthcare services at the borders.
UNFPA said in a statement that over the past two weeks, 12 returning women gave birth at a primary health center located at the zero point, and five others delivered their babies at an emergency maternity clinic inside a refugee reception center.
The organization stressed the importance of providing maternity services at the borders and noted that all of these newborns were delivered in good health.
Tens of thousands of families are expected to arrive in the coming days and months, in the wake of the Pakistan government’s announcement that all undocumented individuals and holders of Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) must leave the country by 31 March 2025 or face deportation.
So far, since April 1, about 45,000 people have returned, with around 58% of them children, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
According to reports from Pakistani media, on Sunday, April 12, alone, nearly 3,000 Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan — both forcibly and voluntarily.
