Roza Otunbayeva, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, made the appeal during a visit to the Islam Qala border crossing with Iran on Tuesday where she witnessed the daily influx of tens of thousands of returnees.

She also met returnee families, aid partners and regional de facto officials.

Alarm bells should be ringing

“What should be a positive homecoming moment for families who fled conflict decades ago is instead marked by exhaustion, trauma, and profound uncertainty,” said Ms. Otunbayeva, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

“The sheer volume of returns – many abrupt, many involuntary – should be setting off alarm bells across the global community,” she added.

“It is a test of our collective humanity. Afghanistan, already grappling with drought, and a chronic humanitarian crisis, cannot absorb this shock alone.” 

Local communities overstretched

Since January, more than 1.3 million have been largely compelled to head back to Afghanistan – a country where 70 per cent of the population lives in poverty. 

Women and children face the gravest risks, UNAMA said, as they are returning not only to dire economic hardships but to a context where their access to basic services and social protections remains severely constrained.

The UN has repeatedly highlighted the assault on women’s rights under Taliban rule, including bans affecting higher education, employment and freedom of movement.

Reintegration support critical

The returns are happening at a time when humanitarian operations remain woefully underfunded, forcing agonising choices between food, shelter, and safe passage.

Ms. Otunbayeva also underscored the critical need for immediate reintegration assistance as initial evidence shows that stabilising return communities requires urgent livelihood programmes and community infrastructure investments. 

She warned that without swift interventions, remittance losses, labour market pressures, and cyclical migration will lead to devastating consequences.

These could include the further destabilization of both returnee and host populations, renewed displacement, mass onward movement, and risks to regional stability.

‘We cannot afford indifference’

She urged donors, development partners, and regional governments not to turn away and abandon Afghan returnees.

“What we are witnessing are the direct consequences of unmet global responsibilities,” she said. “We must act now – with resources, with coordination, and with resolve.” 

Meanwhile, the UN in Afghanistan is calling for an integrated approach that resources humanitarian needs while scaling up assistance in areas of return.

At the same time, regional dialogue – including with Iran, Pakistan, and Central Asian states – must be prioritized to halt disorderly returns and uphold the principle of voluntary, dignified and safe repatriation.

“Afghanistan’s stability hinges on shared responsibility: We cannot afford indifference,” said Ms. Otunbayeva. “The cost of inaction will be measured in lives lost and conflicts reignited.”