In numbers
- Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan since late 2023
- 5.4 millionAfghans returned from Iran and Pakistan since late 2023UNHCR, 30 Jun 2026
- people in need of humanitarian aid in 2026
- ~22 millionpeople in need of humanitarian aid in 2026IOM Afghanistan Crisis Response Plan 2026, 31 Jan 2026
- people facing crisis-level hunger or worse, projected to reach 19.2 million this winter
- 15.9 millionpeople facing crisis-level hunger or worse, projected to reach 19.2 million this winterUN News, citing the IPC, 15 Oct 2026
What is happening
Millions of Afghans have been forced back from Iran and Pakistan into a country facing drought, record hunger and shrinking aid.
Since late 2023, more than 5 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan, many of them forced to leave and arriving with almost nothing. Most returnees say they cannot cover their basic needs.
At the same time, drought, economic collapse and cuts in international aid have pushed hunger and acute malnutrition to the highest levels ever recorded, the UN reported in October 2026. About 15.9 million people, a third of the population, face crisis-level hunger or worse, and nearly 19.2 million are projected to this winter. Child malnutrition is getting worse, and women and girls face severe restrictions on work and education that deepen poverty.
The UN appeal for 2026 is badly underfunded. Food, cash help for returnees, health care and winter support are the most urgent needs.
How it got here
- Aug 2021
The Taliban take control; much international aid is suspended.
- 2022
Girls are barred from secondary school, and later from university.
- Late 2023
Pakistan begins mass deportations of undocumented Afghans.
- Aug 2025
A major earthquake in the east kills more than 2,000 people.
- Jun 2026
UNHCR counts more than 5.4 million Afghans returned since late 2023.
- Oct 2026
The UN reports the highest levels of hunger and acute malnutrition ever recorded: 15.9 million people in crisis-level hunger or worse.
Who is most affected
Returnees
Most recent returnees say they cannot cover basic needs such as food, shelter and health care.
Women and girls
Bans on education and most work push families deeper into poverty.
Children
Child malnutrition is getting worse as food prices rise.
Where your donation helps in Afghanistan
These organisations are working in Afghanistan now. Any one of them is a good choice.
World Food Programme
Emergency food and nutrition
The world’s largest humanitarian organisation fighting hunger, delivering food and cash in crises.
UNICEF
Children: nutrition, vaccines, water and schooling
The UN agency for children, treating malnutrition and providing safe water, health care and education.
Afghanaid
Emergency and long-term support in rural Afghanistan
Has worked in Afghanistan since 1983, providing emergency aid, livelihoods and resilience to disasters.
More trusted organisations
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
Shelter and protection for refugees and displaced families
Protects people forced to flee, providing shelter, registration, cash help and essential supplies.
International Rescue Committee
Health, safety and recovery for people affected by conflict
Helps people whose lives have been shattered by conflict and disaster to survive and rebuild.
Already donated?
Questions about giving for Afghanistan
Does aid reach families directly?
Humanitarian agencies deliver food, cash and health care to families and monitor distributions. Choose established organisations with long experience in Afghanistan.
Why are so many Afghans returning?
Pakistan and Iran have deported or pressured millions of undocumented Afghans to leave since late 2023, many arriving with almost nothing.
What do returnees need first?
Food, cash to rent shelter, health care and, in winter, warm clothing and fuel.
Can’t donate right now?
Sharing reliable information still helps. Attention brings funding, and funding brings aid. More ways to help.
Keep reading
Forced home: Afghanistan's returnees face drought, hunger and shrinking aid
More than 5 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan since late 2023, many with nothing, to a country already facing record hunger.
Read
Sudan: drought and war push Darfur and Kordofan towards famine
The IPC warns the risk of famine is growing in Sudan, as drought covers more than half the country and children in some camps are past the famine threshold.
Read
Eastern Congo: fleeing fighting, now facing Ebola
In eastern DR Congo, families displaced again and again now face an Ebola outbreak in crowded camps. Why this neglected crisis needs attention.
ReadSources and live updates
- UNHCR (30 Jun 2026)
- IOM Afghanistan Crisis Response Plan 2026 (31 Jan 2026)
- UN News, citing the IPC (15 Oct 2026)
- UNHCR Afghanistan emergency (10 Oct 2026)
Figures change quickly. We quote each number from the named source on the date shown and review these pages regularly. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.