Afghanistan is reeling from a confluence of crises that has left millions in urgent need of help, as a sharp reduction in foreign aid, mass returns of refugees, and a devastating earthquake have combined to push the country to the brink. According to a report released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on September 15, 2025, nearly two million Afghan refugees have returned from Iran and Pakistan so far this year, with up to 40,000 individuals entering Afghanistan every day—many of them forcibly deported. These returnees, already vulnerable, now face a host of new challenges as the country grapples with the aftermath of a deadly earthquake and increasingly restrictive policies from the Taliban.
The IOM’s report paints a stark picture: dwindling international aid has forced the organization to cut back on assistance to Afghans returning from abroad. The most vulnerable among them are women, many of whom had studied or worked in Iran only to find themselves suddenly confronted by the Taliban’s severe restrictions on education and employment back home. The agency warns that these restrictions, especially those targeting women, have compounded what was already a dire situation. The Taliban’s recent decision to bar female Afghan staff of the United Nations from entering the organization’s offices in Kabul, Herat, and Mazar-e-Sharif has made matters even worse, threatening the very delivery of humanitarian assistance at a time when it is needed most.
The scale of the humanitarian crisis is staggering. The IOM notes that returnees face homelessness, loss of income, confiscation of documents at the border, and limited job opportunities. Many arrive with little more than the clothes on their backs, only to find that the support networks they desperately need are fraying due to a lack of funding. “Afghanistan is now grappling with three simultaneous crises: mass returns of migrants, dwindling international aid, and natural disasters,” the IOM report states. The organization warns that millions of Afghans are at risk of falling into poverty and homelessness, with women bearing the greatest burden.
As if these challenges weren’t enough, Afghanistan has also been struck by a series of devastating earthquakes in its eastern provinces. According to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a 6.0-magnitude quake recently hit Nangarhar, Kunar, and Laghman provinces, killing hundreds, injuring thousands, and leaving tens of thousands homeless. Local and aid officials report that the disaster has only added to the country’s urgent humanitarian needs, especially as winter approaches.
In response, the United Nations has made an urgent appeal for nearly $140 million in emergency assistance to support about half a million people affected by the quake. Special Representative Roza Otunbayeva underscored the gravity of the situation, urging the global community to respond quickly. “Thousands of earthquake-hit families in eastern Afghanistan risk not surviving the coming winter without urgent international support,” Otunbayeva warned. She also stressed the importance of women in the delivery of humanitarian aid, noting that Taliban restrictions on female aid workers have made it extremely difficult to reach those most in need. “Women’s presence in this process is vital for reaching families, especially vulnerable women and children,” she said.
The United Nations has emphasized that earthquakes disproportionately affect the poorest Afghans, who often live in fragile homes and lack the resources to recover. UNDP has promoted community-based recovery programs, including cash-for-work initiatives that allow survivors to earn an income while participating in debris removal, housing reconstruction, and infrastructure restoration. These programs are seen as a critical step not just for immediate relief, but for building long-term resilience in communities that have been repeatedly battered by conflict, displacement, and disaster.
Adding to the complexity of the crisis, many of those affected by the earthquake are recent returnees from Pakistan and Iran. Humanitarian agencies have highlighted the need for targeted aid that addresses the unique vulnerabilities of women, returnees, and other at-risk groups. Without such support, they warn, the cycle of poverty and displacement will only deepen.
Meanwhile, international solidarity has not gone unnoticed. On September 15, Iran’s Health Minister, Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi, expressed his condolences to the Afghan people following the deadly quake. In a message to his Afghan counterpart, Zafarghandi wrote, “I am deeply saddened by the tragic earthquake in the friendly and brotherly country of Afghanistan, which caused significant human and financial losses in the country. On behalf of myself and my colleagues in the health ministry of the Islamic Republic of Iran, I extend my deepest condolences to you and the noble people of Afghanistan and wish God Almighty patience for the bereaved families and health for the injured and victims.” He also announced that Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education stands ready to provide health and medical assistance to those affected by the disaster.
This gesture of support comes at a time when Afghanistan’s needs are immense and growing. The United Nations and other relief agencies have stressed that support must go beyond immediate relief, expanding into jobs, education, healthcare, and long-term resilience. Yet, with international aid declining and operational constraints mounting—particularly those that limit the participation of women in the humanitarian response—the path forward remains fraught with difficulty.
For many Afghans, the daily reality is one of uncertainty and fear. Women, in particular, have seen hard-won gains in education and employment evaporate almost overnight. The IOM reports that women who had previously studied or worked in Iran are now confronted by Taliban policies that bar them from most forms of public life. The recent move to exclude female Afghan UN staff from offices in key cities has only exacerbated these challenges, making it even harder to deliver aid to those who need it most.
As winter looms, the risks are only set to increase. The United Nations has warned that thousands of earthquake survivors in eastern Afghanistan face extreme risks during the coming months, with shelter, food, and healthcare in short supply. The situation is especially dire for those who have been displaced by the quake or forced to return from abroad, many of whom lack even the most basic necessities.
Despite these daunting challenges, there are glimmers of hope. Community-based recovery programs, international appeals for aid, and gestures of solidarity from neighboring countries all point to the possibility of a more coordinated and effective response. But with time running out and needs escalating, much will depend on the willingness of the international community to step up and provide the support that Afghanistan so desperately needs.
For now, the people of Afghanistan face a long and uncertain road ahead, caught between the aftershocks of disaster, the pressures of mass migration, and the tightening grip of restrictive policies. Their resilience is undeniable—but without swift and sustained help, the risks they face this winter could prove overwhelming.