KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran’s Ministry of Interior to expand support for Afghan women and children living in the country.
Iran’s ISNA news agency reports that the agreement was signed by Monika Oldzcka Nielsen, UNICEF’s representative in Iran, and Nader Yar Ahmadi, head of the National Organization for Migration, a department within the ministry.
According to the report, Yar Ahmadi described the situation of Afghan children in Iran as “very concerning” and called the agreement a step toward improving their living conditions.
He also said Afghan women, particularly those with large families, face serious challenges in raising their children and need additional support.
UNICEF’s Nielsen said the agreement would strengthen cooperation in areas such as education, healthcare, child protection, and emergency preparedness—benefiting both refugees and host communities.
She expressed hope that UNICEF and Iranian authorities would work together to ensure every child in Iran, regardless of origin or birthplace, has the chance to live and thrive.
Iran has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades, many of them women and children. The UN estimates over 1.5 million Afghan children are currently living in Iran, with thousands arriving after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.
Many of these children work in difficult and often dangerous conditions, such as collecting waste on the streets, to help support their families. Access to basic services like education and healthcare remains limited for most of them.
The agreement comes amid a growing wave of deportations. Iran has intensified its removal of Afghan refugees in recent months, sending thousands—mostly women and children—back to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan on a daily basis.
According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 1.2 million Afghans returned from Iran in 2024, nearly 70% of them through forced deportation.
Iranian officials say they plan to deport up to two million Afghan refugees by the end of the year. Similar mass deportations are also under way in neighboring Pakistan.
