Going Home with Dignity: How UNHCR Supports Afghan Refugees Returning from Pakistan
Introduction: The Long Road Back
For many Afghan refugees in Pakistan, the dream of returning home never fades. But that journey — often after decades in exile — is not simple. It involves security, stability, reintegration, and dignity.
UNHCR plays a vital role in making voluntary repatriation possible and humane. It’s not about forcing people back. It’s about helping those who choose to return, offering them support, protection, and a better chance to rebuild their lives.
🔁 What Is Voluntary Repatriation?
Voluntary repatriation is one of three durable solutions for refugees (alongside local integration and third-country resettlement). It means:
- Refugees choose to return to their country of origin
- They receive neutral, verified information about conditions back home
- They get support for the journey and for starting over
UNHCR does not organize mass deportations. It only assists refugees who register for return by choice.
📦 How the Return Process Works
UNHCR runs a structured and dignified return process with several steps:
1. 📝 Registration and Counseling
- Refugees visit UNHCR Voluntary Repatriation Centers (VRCs) in Pakistan
- They undergo individual interviews to confirm that their decision is voluntary
- UNHCR provides updated information on conditions in Afghanistan (security, schools, jobs, etc.)
- Family groups and vulnerable persons (elderly, women, disabled) receive special attention
2. 🚌 Travel Assistance and Support
- Refugees are provided with:
- Free transport to designated points at the border
- A cash grant (approx. $200 per person) upon arrival in Afghanistan
- Help with luggage, documentation, and children during the journey
- Vulnerable families are fast-tracked to reduce waiting times
3. 📍 Reception in Afghanistan
- UNHCR operates Encashment Centers in Afghanistan to provide:
- Financial assistance
- Basic relief items
- Information on health, housing, and schooling
- Help with land disputes or ID registration, in partnership with Afghan authorities and NGOs
📊 Key Numbers (2002–2024)
- Over 4.4 million Afghan refugees voluntarily repatriated from Pakistan since 2002
- More than 300,000 returned between 2016 and 2022
- Peak years included 2002–2005 and 2016, often driven by optimism or government policy shifts
🧭 Challenges Refugees Face on Return
🔹 Security & Stability
- Many returnees face ongoing conflict, poverty, or ethnic tensions in Afghanistan
- UNHCR advises only informed and voluntary returns — not mass campaigns
🔹 Loss of Livelihoods
- Returning families often find no jobs, land, or infrastructure, especially in rural areas
- UNICEF, WFP, and other UN agencies work alongside UNHCR to support basic needs
🔹 Children Born in Pakistan
- Many youth have never seen Afghanistan
- Cultural adjustment, language barriers, and lack of documentation are common issues
“It’s not just about going home. It’s about going home to something.”
— UNHCR Field Officer, Kabul
📍 Where Are People Returning From?
Voluntary repatriation efforts are most active in:
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Haripur, Peshawar, Kohat)
- Balochistan (Quetta, Chaman)
- Punjab and Sindh (Karachi, Rawalpindi) — mostly urban Afghan residents
🤝 UNHCR’s Policy on Returns
UNHCR emphasizes:
- Voluntariness: Refugees must not be pressured or coerced
- Dignity: Travel should be safe, humane, and respectful
- Sustainability: Returnees need long-term support, not just bus rides home
In recent years, UNHCR has condemned forced deportations and stressed the importance of regional responsibility and international funding to support reintegration inside Afghanistan.
🎥 Real Story: Feroza’s Return to Nangarhar
Feroza, 45, fled to Pakistan in the 1990s. In 2022, she returned with her three children through UNHCR’s repatriation program.
- “We lived in Haripur for 17 years. Pakistan gave us shelter and school. But I wanted to raise my children where I was born.”
- With UNHCR’s help, she received a cash grant, enrolled her children in school in Jalalabad, and began rebuilding her home with the help of relatives.
“It wasn’t easy. But at least we had a chance to come home with dignity, not fear.”
🧾 Final Thoughts: From Refugee to Returnee
Every refugee’s journey is personal — and so is their return. With decades of experience, UNHCR ensures that going home is not just a movement across borders, but a step toward rebuilding a life with rights, safety, and hope.
As Pakistan navigates its future refugee policies, voluntary, supported return — not mass pressure — must remain the path forward.
“Return is not just a destination. It’s a beginning.”
— UNHCR Pakistan
