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Current People in Need7.9 million
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Current People Targeted7.9 million
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Current Requirements (US$)$613 million
Analysis of context, crisis and needs
Since the start of 2021, according to government estimates, some 1.25 million Afghans arrived in neighbouring host countries due to the continued deteriorating humanitarian, economic and human rights situation inside Afghanistan. This is despite borders being tightly managed, with many Afghans making their way informally through unofficial border-crossing points. In parallel, voluntary return dropped off significantly in 2020 and 2021 (some 3,500 across the two-year period). 2022 showed a very slight increase, with some 5,000 Afghans returning as of end-October 2022, but still minimal.
In host countries, inflation has increased the cost of rent and basic commodities which, coupled with limited livelihood opportunities, has eroded purchasing power and severely impacted vulnerable refugee and host-community populations’ ability to afford basic goods and services. In Iran, food prices increased by over 50 per cent between May 2021 and May 2022. Global inflationary pressures play a significant role in this respect – Russia and Ukraine account for approximately 60 per cent of Iran’s supply of staples such as wheat, sunflower oil and corn. Total annual inflation in Iran has now exceeded 35 per cent for a third consecutive year, with the headline inflation rate reaching its highest level for a decade. In Pakistan, inflation reached 27 per cent in August 2022, its highest level since 1975. Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are also impacted by global inflation and supply chain issues. Climate-induced disasters continue to impact affected populations in host countries, as evident in Pakistan, where the recent devastating floods affected 33 million people and displaced half a million. Forty-one of the “calamity-hit” districts host an estimated 800,000 Afghan refugees, with two thirds of these people hosted in just four districts.
Iran
An Afghan refugee woman works at home during the COVID-19 pandemic with her daughter’s help. Afghan refugees in Iran showed great resilience during the pandemic despite the hardships caused by the economic situation.
UNHCR/Zahra NazariProjected situation in 2023 and beyond
A steady flow of new arrivals in countries bordering Afghanistan is expected in 2023, including via unofficial border crossings. Combined with arrivals since 2021 and large in situ populations, this will continue to place a significant burden on host countries. Voluntary returns to Afghanistan will likely continue on a small scale. For 2023, it is expected that Afghan populations, including new arrivals, will remain in need of support, exacerbated by the difficult economic situation in host countries. This will include protection, humanitarian assistance and support to public services, which have generously been opened to these individuals, while continued advocacy will be made for socioeconomic inclusion wherever possible. Host communities also need significant support, and investments in infrastructure require major attention, since they continue to support large Afghan populations, particularly in areas including education, health care, water networks, waste management and energy.
Afghanistan Regional
Strategic objectives and sectoral priorities
Acknowledging the huge contributions of host countries, the 2023 Afghanistan Regional Response Plan (RRP) reaffirms the regional multi-stakeholder and multisectoral approach aimed to strengthen the humanitarian and development response in support of host governments. As well as building community resilience, the RRP intends to deliver concrete actions, with a focus on community-based interventions incorporating an age, gender and diversity approach, cross-border collaboration, and durable solutions within the framework of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR). As such, the regional overview, country plans and sector strategies will have a two-year outlook to give a longer-term perspective, with budgets and monitoring frameworks being updated yearly. The Regional Strategic Objectives of the 2023 Afghanistan Situation RRP are to:
- Ensure coordinated efforts in line with the objectives of the SSAR. Anchored in government systems wherever possible, the response aims to take an area-based and needs-based approach to build resilient communities, including through investments in key areas of national infrastructure, such as education and health, and by supporting livelihoods for Afghans and host communities in urban areas and settlements.
- Support host governments to ensure access to territory, asylum and protection in accordance with international standards, including respect for the principle of non-refoulement, admission, reception, registration and documentation.
- Ensure that immediate and longer-term needs are addressed through nexus programming by reinforcing the local and national systems of host countries, which have supported Afghans for decades, in the spirit of international responsibility and burden-sharing in line with the Global Compact on Refugees. In doing so, the Plan will pay particular attention to the needs of children, youth, women, older persons, persons with disabilities and other people with specific needs.
- Respond to the basic needs of the most vulnerable people, including by sustained support to government-led emergency preparedness efforts, and through multisectoral support to swiftly respond to people newly displaced by conflict, climate-induced disasters and other crises, as well as to existing populations who have seen their situation deteriorate due to the rising cost of living.
Saranan refugee village, Pakistan
Girls playing during recess.
UNHCR/Mercury TransformationsSince the Afghanistan RRP’s launch at the onset of the crisis last year, the number of partners increased from 11 in 2021 to over 60 in 2023 across the five countries. This underlines the importance and impetus behind the response across the humanitarian community, and across a range of development actors.
Accountability to affected populations will be mainstreamed across the RRP 2023 response, with participatory assessments conducted whenever feasible, feedback and complaint mechanisms put in place, as well as community outreach, awareness-raising campaigns and home visits to ensure that communities are meaningfully and continuously involved in decision-making. Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) is an integral part of the RRP in 2023. Inter-agency networks and PSEA mechanisms will be strengthened in host countries, including the establishment of safe reporting channels, codes of conduct and standard operating procedures to address PSEA incidents. Capacity-building of humanitarian actors, local authorities, host communities and affected populations will also be prioritized.
References
- The Objectives of the SSAR are: I). Creating conditions conducive to voluntary repatriation through community-based investments in areas of high return; II). Building Afghan refugee capital based on livelihood opportunities in Afghanistan in order to facilitate return; and III). Preserving asylum space in host countries, including enhanced support for refugee-hosting communities, alternative temporary stay arrangements for the residual caseload, and resettlement in third countries.