Attachments
HIghlights
642,632 total returns from Iran and Pakistan since 01 Jan 2018
615,554 total returns from Iran since 01 Jan 2018
27,078 total returns from Pakistan since 01 Jan 2018
16,426 undocumented Afghans returned from Iran
539 undocumented Afghans returned from Pakistan
2% of returnees from Iran (356 individuals) assisted
85% of returnees from Pakistan (460 individuals) assisted
UN Allocates New Funds for Drought Victims
(UNOCHA / Kabul, 16 October 2018): The United Nations’ Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) and Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) have allocated $34.6 million in emergency aid to support 2.2 million people affected by a severe drought. With these funds, 7 national NGOs, 15 international NGOs and 4 UN agencies will distribute food and seeds, maintain primary health services, provide emergency shelter, safe drinking water, improve hygiene and sanitation, treat severe malnutrition, and help farmers protect their livestock. “The impact of the ongoing drought spans the north and west of the country leaving communities in deep distress. Village elders in rural areas tell me that this is the worst drought in their lifetime, and that food, fodder and seeds are needed urgently,” said Toby Lanzer, Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan. “The drought has forced a quarter of a million people from their land, and for the displaced, the need for shelter is critical as winter approaches.”
Situation Overview
Since 01 January 2018, IOM is responding to the return of over 60,000 undocumented Afghans from Pakistan and Iran.
Undocumented returns from Iran in particular are seeing a massive increase of more than 200,000 to over 460,000 total between January-July 2018 versus 187,000 during the same time period in 2017, largely driven by recent political and economic issues in Iran including massive currency devaluation. As Afghans primarily work in the informal economy in Iran the demand for this type of work is drastically reduced. Further as all Afghans typically send home their earnings in the form of monthly remittances, the Afghan economy itself, already evident in the drought affected provinces of Herat, Badghis and Ghor, is suffering direct and immediate effects.