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Unaccompanied children on the move have become more common. This demographic shift calls for a transition to child-sensitive return programmes and policies – yet despite increased returns and deportations, support has decreased over the last decade in Afghanistan. COVID-19 has increased the risks of returns, and the response to the pandemic remains insufficient to meet the needs at the border - especially for children and women. This research was conducted by Samuel Hall for War Child UK and UNICEF to assess the impact of COVID-19 on minor deportees and returnees. It provides actionable learning to inform more effective and relevant design, implementation, and adjustment of future interventions targeting minor deportees.

INTRODUCTION

This note is based on research conducted by Samuel Hall for War Child UK and UNICEF in 2019, as well as follow-up calls in April 2020 to assess the impact of COVID-19 on minor deportees and returnees.

The original study was conducted with 403 phone surveys with deportee children, and over 80 qualitative interviews deported children/youth or their parents/guardians across two western provinces – Herat and Badghis. In addition, 29 key informant interviews were conducted with government representatives, CPAN, UN and NGO representatives throughout the course of the research.

In 2020, due to the spread of COVID-19 reaching all 34 provinces of Afghanistan, and with specific concerns in the Western region, additional interviews were conducted with some of the same social workers, guardians and family members. This brief summarises the data available to date.