KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The European Union (EU) has allocated €17 million to support Afghan returnees from neighboring Iran and Pakistan, along with their host communities in Afghanistan.
In a statement on Thursday, April 25, the EU’s delegation in Afghanistan said that it had signed an agreement worth €17 million with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to improve access to basic services, increase economic opportunities, and enhance protection for Afghans on the move and their host communities in Afghanistan.
“The needs of women and girls are a particular focus of the programme,” EU said.
The EU statement indicates that from January 2023 to April 2024, over 1.5 million people have returned from Pakistan and Iran, resulting in a humanitarian emergency in the country’s border areas and a crisis within host communities across the country.
The EU says that its latest contribution will enable the IOM to provide durable solutions to those most in need and address challenges faced by returnees.
“IOM will establish Community Resource Centers in the areas of return to provide integrated services and referrals including healthcare, legal assistance, vocational training, and education,” EU said. “Women and children who represent the majority of the returnees and are particularly vulnerable will have an environment where their safety, rights, and access to essential services are assured,” it added.
The neighboring countries Iran and Pakistan have hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades, as they fled their country due to conflicts, economic issues, and political instability.
Following the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, which led to a swift takeover by the Taliban, hundreds of thousands of Afghans fled the country, mostly to neighboring Iran and Pakistan, to escape potential retaliation from the Taliban.
According to a UN report, around 1.6 million Afghan refugees have arrived in these two countries since August 2021.
The UN report indicate that both countries currently host approximately 7.7 million Afghan refugees, with 4.5 million in Iran and 3.2 million in Pakistan, predominantly comprising women and children.
Anti-migrant policies and ongoing crackdowns on undocumented Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan have led to the deportation of 1.5 million Afghan refugees, primarily women and children, back to the Taliban-controlled and impoverished Afghanistan.
As Afghans return to their homeland, they confront worsening economic, humanitarian, and healthcare conditions, which have deteriorated since the fundamentalist Taliban returned to power nearly three years ago. According to the UN, nearly 16 million Afghans in the country are facing severe food insecurity at crisis and emergency levels this year.
The UN and rights groups, including Amnesty International, have repeatedly urged neighboring countries of Afghanistan to continue supporting refugees, especially vulnerable individuals who have sought refuge in these countries due to security concerns.
Pakistan justifies the deportations, attributing them to illegally residing Afghans allegedly involved in a recent increase in deadly militant attacks in the country, a claim dismissed by Taliban authorities.
Recently, the country initiated the second phase of refugee expulsions, aiming to deport around 840,000 Afghan Citizen Card holders issued during 2017 and 2018 to Afghan refugees, granting them legal refugee status in the country.
Peteris Ustubs, Director for the Middle East, Asia, and Pacific at the European Commission’s Department for International Partnerships, expressed deep concern about the challenges faced by returnees upon deportation to Afghanistan. He described the situation as a “crisis within a crisis” in a country grappling with poverty, climate change, and recent devastating earthquakes.
In the statement, Raffaella Iodice, EU Chargée d’Affaires to Afghanistan, was quoted as saying, “The solidarity of the Afghan people towards their brothers and sisters is an inspiration. We must assure that communities hosting and helping new arrivals are supported. The partnership with IOM ensures access to essential services and provides protection for Afghan returnees and their host communities. As women and girls can be particularly affected, we make sure that all members of society can benefit”.
