Kokcha News Agency – The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) stated on Sunday, 2nd Sunbula, via social media platform X that returning migrants cannot rebuild their lives without adequate housing.
The program emphasized that, despite collaboration with international partners to address needs, the scale of the problems faced by returnees exceeds the capacity of available resources. Stefanie Loose, head of UN-Habitat, highlighted that providing shelter and then sustainable housing is a cornerstone of reintegration and starting a new life with dignity. She had previously warned that a large number of Afghan returnees have nowhere to go.
According to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), over four million migrants have returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan since September 2023. In 2025 alone, more than 1.5 million people have entered the country, and it is estimated that another one million will leave Pakistan following Islamabad’s decision not to extend refugee residency permits.
The UN has warned that without regional cooperation and immediate global assistance, the wave of returning migrants could escalate into a larger humanitarian crisis, the effects of which will extend beyond Afghanistan’s borders. Currently, the lack of housing is one of the most serious challenges faced by returnees. The massive influx of migrants has led to a housing shortage in Afghan cities and a sharp increase in rental prices.
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