As the wave of forced deportations of Afghan migrants intensifies — particularly from Iran and Pakistan — the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting returnees, especially vulnerable families and children facing hardship upon re-entry.
Tajuddin Oyewale, UNICEF’s Representative in Afghanistan, told TOLOnews that the organization is actively working to connect returnee families with essential services such as healthcare and education. However, he acknowledged the growing strain on UNICEF’s resources amid a deepening funding crisis.
“For those in primary school, we are able to link them to education. For those in need of healthcare, we’re providing access and increasing services in key areas,” Oyewale said. “But this scale-up comes at a cost. We’re operating under tight financial constraints, doing our best with maximum efficiency to respond to rising needs.”
Government Also Responding
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation echoed UNICEF’s concerns and confirmed that facilities for deported families are being expanded. Deputy Minister Abdul Rahman Rashid stated that temporary camps and long-term residential communities are being developed in provinces where returnees are relocating permanently.
“When deportees reach their home provinces, we are establishing camps and residential zones to guarantee both short-term shelter and long-term housing,” Rashid said.
On the Ground: Families Struggling to Survive
Despite official assurances, returnee families report dire conditions in makeshift camps, especially in Kabul, where many deportees end up without shelter or food.
Fatima, a mother who spent her entire life in Iran before being deported after 26 years, now lives in a tent she made from a sack to protect her children from the sun. “My daughter was in 7th grade and was about to enter 8th. When I look at her now, my heart breaks,” she said through tears. “She asks me, ‘Mother, how are we supposed to live here?’ I don’t even know if I can give them a piece of bread.”
Her daughter, Khadija, added, “We have no home, nowhere to go. In Iran, at least we had a roof over our heads.”
Fatima’s husband, Faizullah, shared his heartbreak: “My only dream was for my children to study and earn a degree. I was ready to work or even beg just so they could have a future. Now that dream is gone.”
Deportations on the Rise
This humanitarian strain comes as regional deportations increase. According to reports, hundreds of thousands of Afghan migrants have been expelled from Iran and Pakistan in recent years, often without notice or legal recourse. Many return to a country struggling with poverty, limited services, and widespread unemployment.
As international organizations like UNICEF continue to provide frontline support, aid groups are calling on the global community to increase funding and ensure Afghan returnees are not forgotten in the ongoing migration crisis.
Stay informed with more updates at www.u.af.
