UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has called upon the international community to address the urgent humanitarian needs of Afghans both within and outside their country amid ongoing conflict and instability. During his recent three-day visit to Afghanistan, Grandi highlighted the escalating crisis, emphasizing the desperate need for increased humanitarian support to avert further displacement and instability. According to UNHCR, there are currently 18 million Afghans in dire need of humanitarian aid, with over 3.5 million displaced from their homes due to conflict.
Grandi expressed appreciation for interim Afghan ministers’ commitment to ensuring security and facilitating humanitarian access but stressed that more needs to be done by the global community. He stated, “The international community needs to do more to provide humanitarian and development support to these refugees and their host communities, and to scale up the resettlement of Afghans already in those countries.”
The discussions also included critical issues such as the education of Afghan children and the safe return of Afghan women to the workforce. These interventions are especially crucial given the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan, which was highlighted by UN experts on October 23, 2023. UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennet noted that the challenges faced by Afghans are largely due to the Taliban’s policies, compounded by ongoing economic and humanitarian crises (link).
The situation is further complicated by developments in neighboring countries. On December 1, 2023, Pakistan’s Supreme Court began hearing arguments on a petition against the government’s deportation orders for undocumented Afghan migrants (link). The petition was brought forward by human rights activists, lawyers, and politicians concerned about the potentially dire consequences of such deportations. The UNHCR has expressed alarm over these moves, indicating that they have incited panic among Afghan communities in Pakistan. Philippa Candler, UNHCR’s representative in Pakistan, has emphasized the negative impact these orders may have on both registered refugees and those with valid documentation (link).
To address the mounting needs, the UNHCR has provided over 300,000 displaced individuals in Afghanistan with cash assistance and relief items this year. Nevertheless, the agency continues to appeal to donors to offer substantial support for Afghan refugees, particularly those hosted in Iran and Pakistan.