Afghan Returnees Face Unequal Reintegration Challenges in Homeland

A new UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) study has revealed a stark divide in the reintegration experience of Afghan returnees from Pakistan. While men are seeing gradual improvements in income and employment over time, women are increasingly excluded from economic opportunities, facing deeper vulnerabilities and worsening food insecurity. Released on Tuesday, the findings underscore both the fragile progress being made and the urgent need for targeted development programs to ensure equitable reintegration.

The mass return of Afghans from Pakistan—and more recently from Iran—has opened a new chapter for thousands of families hoping to rebuild their lives after years of displacement. But the report stresses that returning home is only the beginning. The greater challenge lies in achieving meaningful reintegration: restoring livelihoods, securing stability, and rebuilding dignity in communities that themselves are grappling with economic strain.

According to the study, men returning to Afghanistan tend to benefit more from emerging labor opportunities. Within six months of return, employment rates for men rise significantly, increasing from 53 percent to 69 percent. Wages in male-headed households also show improvement, climbing by an average of 7 percent. This reflects the gradual transition from reliance on humanitarian assistance to labor-based income as men connect with local markets and daily wage opportunities.

For women, however, the trajectory is much bleaker. Instead of progress, the report highlights regression. Six months after return, women’s wages decline by 23 percent, and their employment rate falls from 42 percent to 39 percent. On average, women earn nearly 17 percent less than men, and the gap widens as men’s opportunities expand. The gender divide is not limited to the workplace: women also face systemic exclusion from services and rights critical to rebuilding their lives.

Only 25 percent of Afghan women returnees have access to a mobile phone, compared with 95 percent of men, severely limiting their ability to connect with information, job opportunities, and support networks. Likewise, one in five women lacks a national identity document, compared to just 5 percent of men, cutting them off from legal rights, healthcare, and humanitarian services. The report warns that these barriers reinforce cycles of dependency, insecurity, and marginalization.

At the household level, rising employment among men has not translated into stability. Debt and food insecurity are increasing, particularly in woman-headed or vulnerable households. The UNHCR study notes that income gains are insufficient to meet growing needs, repay debts, or keep pace with rising costs. The fragility of these households is evident in the worsening food insecurity, which threatens to undo the limited progress achieved.

The findings highlight a gendered crisis of reintegration: while men slowly climb toward economic recovery, women are slipping further behind, their potential contributions restricted by systemic barriers. The UNHCR stresses that without gender-responsive interventions, reintegration risks entrenching inequality and undermining long-term stability.

Meanwhile, Germany has announced plans to resume the entry of vulnerable Afghan nationals stranded in Pakistan, a decision influenced by mounting legal pressure and Pakistan’s push to deport Afghan refugees. Around 2,000 Afghans, approved for relocation to Germany under a special protection program, have been waiting for months after Berlin froze the scheme amid domestic migration debates. Rights groups and affected Afghans took the matter to court, with some cases resulting in rulings that forced the German government to act.

The urgency of relocation has grown as Pakistan moved to expel Afghan refugees, including those already cleared under Germany’s program, ahead of a September 1 deadline. According to reports in German media, the first groups of Afghan families are expected to depart in the coming days on commercial flights transiting through Dubai or Istanbul.

The twin stories—of Afghans struggling to reintegrate at home, and others waiting for resettlement abroad—capture the fragile and uncertain reality facing displaced Afghan families. For many, the promise of return or relocation offers hope, but without inclusive strategies and sustained support, women and vulnerable groups risk being left behind in the difficult journey toward rebuilding their lives.