KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) estimates that 4.2 million people in Afghanistan will need emergency shelter and non-food assistance in 2026, highlighting growing housing needs amid overlapping crises.
In a post on X on Monday, UN-Habitat Afghanistan stated that the figure underscores an urgent need for housing support.
“At World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, the world is discussing housing — but for Afghan families, the need is urgent,” the agency said. “We must act now to ensure adequate housing for all.”
The 13th session of the World Urban Forum is scheduled for May 17–22 in Baku, Azerbaijan, under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities,” bringing together governments, civil society, and other stakeholders to discuss global housing challenges.
The warning comes as Afghanistan faces a sharp increase in returning refugees, adding pressure on already limited shelter capacity. More than 5.4 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan since October 2023, including over 270,000 so far in 2026, according to U.N. agencies.
Many returnees arrive with limited financial resources, increasing demand for housing and basic humanitarian assistance.
At the same time, repeated natural disasters have worsened the situation. Earthquakes, prolonged drought, heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides have damaged or destroyed thousands of homes in recent years, displacing thousands of families, particularly in rural areas.
In eastern Afghanistan, local officials in recent days reported multiple house collapses following heavy rainfall and flooding, with several fatalities, mostly women and children.
Afghanistan is widely considered highly vulnerable to climate-related shocks, with limited emergency response capacity and weak infrastructure in many regions compounding the impact of extreme weather events.
UN-Habitat, which has operated in Afghanistan since 1992, said expanded shelter assistance is critical to address the combined impact of refugee returns, climate-related risks, and ongoing humanitarian needs.
