* “Other people in need of international protection” are those who are outside their country of origin and not reported as refugees or asylum-seekers, but who are likely to require international protection, including protection from forced return and access to basic services on a temporary or longer-term basis.

Total returns is an umbrella term that includes all returns including deportations, assisted Voluntary Repatriation (VolRep) and other returns of Afghans of all statuses such as PoR cardholders, ACC holders, Amayesh card holders, Headcount Slipholders and the undocumented, excluding passport/visa holders.

The Afghanistan Situation represents one of the largest and most protracted forced displacement contexts in the world, spanning Afghanistan and neighbouring countries including Iran, Pakistan and the states of Central Asia. Decades of displacement, economic fragility, insecurity and evolving geopolitical tensions continue to shape movements across the region, creating complex and interlinked protection needs.

Iran and Pakistan host the vast majority of Afghan refugees globally, and recent policy changes and economic pressures have led to large-scale deportations and returns under adverse circumstances to Afghanistan, placing additional strain on already fragile communities and basic services. Armed conflict in Iran, as well as escalating armed hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan, are unfolding in parallel, further compounding instability in the sub-region. Many Afghan returnees continue to face significant human rights violations and protection risks inside Afghanistan, while persistent insecurity and fragile reintegration conditions increase the likelihood of renewed displacement and onward movements within the region and beyond, with broader implications for regional stability.

Across the region, UNHCR works with partners to advance a Route-Based Approach (RteBA) to the mixed and onward movements of refugees, stateless persons and migrants within these complex settings, seeking to provide protection and solutions as early as possible, to stabilize and support populations through sustainable responses in fragile and transit contexts, prevent the need for dangerous onward journeys, and realize safe and regular pathways and durable solutions. This includes voluntary return and reintegration, expanded legal pathways – including labour mobility, education opportunities and family reunification – and access to legal stay in host countries for vulnerable refugees. The operationalization of the RteBA in this context is reinforced by the regional frameworks, such as the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees, and pledges made under the Global Refugee Forum to support sustainable solutions and promote greater responsibility-sharing.

However, significant funding shortfalls are limiting the scale and scope of the response. Without sustained and predictable funding, UNHCR’s ability to maintain critical protection activities and advance solutions will remain constrained. In 2026, UNHCR requires USD 452.4 million to support the Afghanistan Situation.