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Afghanistan situation: Emergency preparedness and response in Iran, 13 January 2022

Countries
Iran
+ 1 more
Sources
UNHCR
Publication date
Origin
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KEY HIGHLIGHTS

  • 699,053 people have been internally displaced in Afghanistan in 2021 and so far in 2022, of which 15% are families, 21% are women and 59% are children.

  • According to preliminary estimates by the Government of Iran, up to 500,000 Afghans have arrived in Iran in 2021.

  • Borders remain officially closed for asylum-seekers and Afghans continue to make their way to Iran informally through unofficial border crossing points. UNHCR is aware of 28,489 Afghans who arrived in Iran from 1 January 2021 to 13 January 2022, though the numbers are understood to be much higher.

  • On 11 January, UNHCR and OCHA jointly launched the Regional Response Plan (RRP) and the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the Afghanistan humanitarian crisis. These plans aim to bring USD 5 billion of humanitarian relief to the region to help 22 million people in need in Afghanistan.

POLITICAL, SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN

  • On 11 January, UNHCR and OCHA jointly launched the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and the Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP) in Geneva. To see the full RRP (link) and the HRP (link).

  • During the launch of the RRP/HRP, it was reiterated that the people in Afghanistan face one of the world’s most rapidly growing humanitarian crises. Half of the population face acute hunger, over 9 million people are displaced, millions of children are out of school, fundamental rights of women and girls are under attack, farmers and herders are struggling amidst the worst drought in decades, and the economy is in free fall.
    Without support, tens of thousands of children are at risk of dying from malnutrition as basic health services have collapsed. Conflict has subsided, but violence, fear, and deprivation continue to drive Afghans to seek safety and asylum across borders, particularly in Iran and Pakistan.