From Return to Rebuild for Afghan Returnees and Host Communities

From Return to Rebuild for Afghan Returnees and Host Communities is a policy paper developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific (November 2025). The report examines the compounded effects of mass returns, economic stagnation, climate stress, and recent earthquakes on fragile districts across Afghanistan. It highlights how over 2.3 million returns in 2025 have intensified pressure on already weakened local systems, particularly in rural host areas.

Drawing primarily on data from the Whole of Afghanistan Assessment (WoAA) 2025 and complementary UN sources, the paper documents widespread unemployment, high household debt, food insecurity, housing shortages, limited access to health care and education, and water scarcity. The August 2025 earthquakes in eastern provinces and ongoing drought conditions have further exacerbated vulnerabilities, particularly in areas hosting high concentrations of returnees. Women and girls face disproportionate risks due to mobility restrictions, limited livelihood opportunities, and heightened exposure to gender-based violence.

The report proposes a strategic, area-based recovery approach linking livelihoods, infrastructure, services, and social cohesion interventions. It emphasizes the need to invest in women’s economic empowerment, climate-resilient infrastructure, access to finance, and inclusive governance mechanisms. By integrating humanitarian and development responses, the paper argues that return dynamics can become an opportunity for sustainable recovery rather than a source of renewed instability.