The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has found in an assessment of 1,547 Afghan returnees that 69 percent had not been employed in the 30 days prior to the survey, while 54 percent were unable to meet their basic needs.
In its latest report on Tuesday, September 29, the organization said that 6,473,978 Afghan citizens had returned to the country from Iran and Pakistan between mid-September 2023 and August 31, 2026.
According to the report, 77 percent of returnees were living in temporary shelters, while 14 percent had been evicted from their homes after returning.
The report said that 43 percent of returnees or members of their households did not have the necessary documentation to access services.
Food, at 69 percent, shelter, at 67 percent, and multipurpose cash assistance, at 64 percent, were among the most pressing needs reported by returnees.
The IOM also said that 62 percent of returnees did not have adequate access to healthcare services, while 53 percent did not have adequate access to safe drinking water.
However, 75 percent of returnees said they did not intend to leave their current places of residence.
The assessment was conducted in August 2026 among 1,547 returnees, including 1,267 families and 280 individuals.
The respondents were people who had returned to Afghanistan between July 1 and December 31, 2025.
The IOM said the findings will be used to identify barriers to reintegration and to better target humanitarian assistance and development programs for returnees and host communities.
