The findings of Salam Watandar’s interviews with 17 Afghan youth who were born in Iran and Pakistan and returned to Afghanistan over the past year show that some of them are facing economic, social, and educational challenges. These difficulties have made it harder for them to integrate into and adapt to Afghanistan’s social and cultural environment.
Of the 17 youth interviewed, seven face economic and livelihood challenges, including unemployment, difficulties covering living expenses, and a lack of adequate shelter. Four face educational challenges, including leaving their academic documents in neighboring countries, having unfinished education, and facing limited opportunities to continue their studies. Another four report difficulties adapting to Afghanistan’s social and cultural environment, feelings of alienation, and a sense of not being accepted by society. In contrast, two say they have partly adjusted to life in Afghanistan and are now employed.
The youth interviewed for this report included 10 girls and seven boys, aged between 20 and 32. Of these, 15 were born in Iran and two in Pakistan. All had returned to Afghanistan over the past year.
Somaya Habibi, a 25-year-old who was born and raised in Iran, says she has not been able to continue her education or find a job since returning to Afghanistan.
I have still not been able to adapt to or integrate into society. I continue to feel alienated. Since returning, I have not been able to continue my education or find a job,” she says
Maleka, a 27-year-old who was born and educated in Pakistan, says that she returned to Afghanistan a year ago but has not been able to find a suitable job and is facing economic difficulties.
“I have not yet been able to find a suitable job. Unemployment limits people’s opportunities and abilities. When you have no personal income, you can neither meet your needs independently nor make proper plans for your future,” she adds.
Fatima Rezaei, another 26-year-old Afghan migrant who was born in Iran and returned to Afghanistan nearly a year ago, also speaks about the difficulties of integrating into society.
“People here behave in a way that makes it difficult for us to feel that we are in our own country. Our economic situation is also poor. Life was better in Iran. At least we had some savings, so we were more at ease financially. But since returning to our own country, all we have been trying to do is put food on our children’s table,” she adds.
Months after returning to Afghanistan, a number of these youth have still not been able to adapt to the country’s social environment. This has led to feelings of alienation, a sense of not being accepted by society, and difficulties in building social relationships.
Masuma Yaqobi, who was born in Iran, says she feels alienated after returning to Afghanistan because she is unfamiliar with the country’s culture.
“I was born and raised in Iran. When I came to Afghanistan, I found myself in a new country, among new people, with a different culture. Everything was different. There are significant differences between the two societies. People here think differently from people there. I feel very alienated because I grew up there,” she adds.
Manizha Hakimi, a 25-year-old who returned to Afghanistan from Iran seven months ago, also speaks about the difficulties of adapting to the country’s social environment.
“I was born in Iran, and Iranian culture is very different from Afghan culture. That is why adapting to life here has been difficult for me. People treat us in a way that makes us feel as though we are not in our own country. My children are mocked at school and called Iranians, even though we are Afghans,” she says.
Alongside economic and social difficulties, some youth returnees say that continuing their education is another major challenge. They have been unable to continue their studies because they left their academic documents in neighboring countries and have limited access to educational opportunities.
Ahmad, a 28-year-old who was born in Iran, speaks about the difficulties he faces in continuing his education.
“It has been about a year since I was deported from Iran, and I have not been able to continue my education because of several obstacles, including the lack of valid academic documents, my age, and the need to work,” he adds.
Zahra Ahmadi, another 20-year-old who returned to Afghanistan a year ago, speaks about the difficulties of accessing education.
“Since returning to the country, I have faced many restrictions. How can we study and continue our education? Online learning is one option, but it requires internet, and I cannot afford it,” she adds.
Despite these challenges, some youth returnees have managed to adapt, to some extent, to Afghan culture and society. Two of the youth interviewed are now employed in tailoring or undertaking internships in fields such as goldsmithing and construction.
Parwiz Osmani, a 30-year-old who worked in construction in Iran before returning to Afghanistan, says he has continued working in the same field since his return. However, his income is not enough to cover his living expenses.
“It has been a year since I was forcibly returned from Iran with my family. I used to work as a plasterer in Iran, where I was a master plasterer. There was plenty of construction work and more job opportunities in Iran. Here, although construction is ongoing and jobs are available, wages are low. This situation has had a significant impact on our lives,” he adds.
Spogmai Jabarkhil, a migration expert, says that unemployment, poverty, lack of shelter, and limited access to education could force young returnees to leave Afghanistan again. Speaking about ways to help these youth integrate into society, she says:
“Successfully integrating young returnees into society requires cooperation among families, the government, institutions, and local communities. By providing economic opportunities, social support, access to education, and cultural acceptance, we can help these youth rebuild their lives.”
Meanwhile, Omidullah Qasemzai, an economic expert, says that the mass return of migrants has put additional pressure on the country’s infrastructure. He adds that cooperation among local communities, the government, and international organizations is necessary to address the situation.
“The wave of deportations of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries has been one of the factors worsening the economic crisis. To support the integration of returnees, relevant institutions need to develop appropriate solutions. Providing economic opportunities, healthcare and educational services, as well as resettlement opportunities, are among the necessary measures,” he adds.
Shoaib Ahmadi, a sociologist, says that youth returning for the first time to a country with which they are not familiar need support from their families and relevant institutions.
“Families should provide youth with emotional and psychological support because, at this age, emotions have a greater influence on their behavior and decision-making. This support is particularly important when youth return to a society they are not familiar with and where they may not have been born or lived. In addition to families, governments also have a responsibility to provide educational opportunities for youth returning to their own country and to create more opportunities for them,” he says.
In the same way, Parwiz Khalili, a legal expert, says that citizens returning to Afghanistan from neighboring countries have the same civil rights as other citizens.
“Youth returning to their homeland are no different from other Afghan citizens when it comes to their civil rights. Like all other citizens, they have the right to an identity card, a passport, freedom of movement, marriage, employment, security, human dignity, and all other civil rights,” he adds.
Faramarz Barzin, head of the press office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Afghanistan, says that more than one million people returned to Afghanistan from neighboring countries in 2026. According to him, returnees need cash assistance, shelter, job opportunities, and identity documents.
“From 1 January to 17 October 2026, more than 1.3 million people returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan. Many returnees continue to need support and protection services, including assistance with obtaining legal documents and accessing basic services. UNHCR, in cooperation with partner organizations and local communities, is working to facilitate the process of sustainably reintegrating returnees and strengthen their ability to meet their basic needs. These measures include providing cash assistance upon arrival, as well as shelter and livelihood support in areas with high numbers of returnees,” he adds.
Meanwhile, officials at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Islamic Emirate say they issue official documents to returnees when needed and provide them with employment opportunities. Mohammad Seddiq, head of Information and Publications at the ministry, says:
“The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has appointed delegations in different zones to register youth returnees and assess their skills and professions. If these youth do not have the necessary documents, the ministry will issue official documents for them. In addition, many youth returnees have been employed in industrial parks, where job opportunities have been provided to them. We also have extensive plans to create suitable employment opportunities over the next five years. Under these plans, more than 1.4 million jobs will be created, giving youth the opportunity to find employment,” he says.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in its report The Resilience of Returnees to Afghanistan, published in September 2026, has also reported that returnees face challenges such as unemployment, poverty, a shortage of housing, limited access to education and basic services, and a lack of identity documents.
Reporter: Sharifa Qasemi
