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Every Step of Resilience: The Unwavering Spirit of Afghans Navigating Life Through Crises
“With each step away, I wondered if home would remember me as I would remember it.” – Marina*, a displaced woman in Afghanistan.
Kabul – Across Afghanistan, communities struggle to overcome disasters, economic instability and the lasting effects of decades-long conflict. Millions of people have made the difficult decision to leave home – moving internally or migrating internationally in search of better economic opportunities, stability and safety.
Following a turbulent transfer of power in August 2021, the Afghan population has faced ongoing political and economic insecurity, along with a decline in freedom, particularly for women. Meanwhile, recurrent disasters have provoked people to move in search of resources and refuge.
Nearly half of all Afghans live in poverty, according to the World Bank, with women disproportionately affected. Millions of families rely on remittances or humanitarian aid for survival.
Despite these challenges, the Afghan people continue to exhibit remarkable resilience on their journeys.
Throughout the year, millions of Afghans have been on the move.
IOM recently reported that Afghan nationals travel back and forth between their home country and Pakistan or Iran for a variety of reasons, including to pursue economic opportunities, seek safety, access healthcare and visit family members, in addition to other short-term travels.
As of September 2024, there were approximately 3.75 million Afghan nationals living in Iran and 2.05 million in Pakistan.
Those who struggle to secure documents often rely on smugglers to travel on dangerous routes. Upon arrival in their destination countries, many suffer from exploitation or struggle to find work at all.
This year, IOM response teams have recorded more than 1.2 million undocumented migrants returning to Afghanistan through four border crossings with Pakistan and Iran, and another 100,000 people arriving at Kabul airport.
Of the approximate 80,500 individuals who returned from Pakistan, most indicated that they came back due to the struggle to secure sustainable incomes and Pakistan's policies on the expulsion of undocumented migrants.
Of the over 1.1 million undocumented returnees from Iran, 66 per cent were deported. Many arrived at the Afghan border with few financial and material resources en route to areas of the country characterized by challenging economic conditions and high unemployment.
Javeed* is one of the many Afghan migrants forced to return home from Iran. The smugglers extorted money from him and tortured him after he could not give them the funds they demanded. He eventually lost his arm on the tumultuous journey.
“Don’t trust smugglers offering quick escapes. The risks are greater than they seem, and there are no shortcuts,” said Javeed*, a returning Afghan migrant.
Migrants like Javeed arrive in their home country with little more than memories of the past and hope for a fresh start. They often lack possessions, assets and social support networks.
Many have been left traumatized by their experience, coming home to communities reeling from poverty and reliant on humanitarian aid.
In addition to political and economic issues, Afghanistan is grappling with the devastating effects of climate change. In fact, climate change has replaced conflict as the primary driver of displacement, and disasters are one of the main causes of humanitarian needs.
“The floods were unpredictable and could destroy our homes in minutes. We felt helpless and fearful every time the rain came,” said Fatima, a woman internally displaced by flooding in August 2024.
Flash floods in August this year swept through five provinces in eastern and central regions of Afghanistan. Thousands of families’ homes were damaged, hundreds died, and the destruction of agricultural lands led to a rise in food insecurity among the affected populations.
Consecutive droughts over the years also continue to leave thousands of Afghan communities without access to drinking water.
Furthermore, sudden on-set disasters continue to disrupt Afghan lives.
Last year’s four 6.3-magnitude earthquakes in Herat province affected more than half a million people according to IOM’s humanitarian teams. A recent IOM report surveyed approximately 240 households affected by last year’s disaster in Herat and found that more than 80 per cent still lack access to latrines, suitable living spaces and clean drinking water.
In response to these complex challenges, humanitarian organizations like IOM are providing critical services: rebuilding homes after disasters, offering livelihood support that helps businesses thrive and delivering lifesaving aid, to name a few.
More importantly, the Afghan people themselves are stepping up to provide for their loved ones and lay the groundwork for a better future. Javeed, for example, hopes to open a retail store after settling back home and ultimately fulfil his dream of becoming a journalist.
"I may have lost my arm, but I didn't lose my spirit. I believe in the power of education, and I hope to tell the stories of people like me. I want to shed light on the struggles and hopes of Afghan migrants and inspire positive change," said Javeed, a young Afghan man who returned from Iran in 2024.
Nisa*, a mother of four, is also doing her part to provide new opportunities for women and girls, even as studying and working spaces are shrinking nation-wide.
She used skills she learned while working at a noodle factory in Iran to open a business after returning to Herat. With support from IOM, Nisa was able to scale her business significantly.
"I am motivated by my own journey of migration and hardship,” said Nisa, “I want to create a place where other women can learn and grow.”
Nisa’s business, Mumtaz Rishta, supplies local markets and has even begun replacing imported noodles from Iran. As her business continues to flourish, she plans to expand it and hire more women.
"Afghan women can do great things if they have the freedom and opportunity,” added Nisa.
Despite the mounting challenges, Afghan communities continue to demonstrate resilience and uplift one another, with support from IOM.
IOM and partners continue to help communities mitigate the effects of climate change and sudden-onset disasters; reduce displacement; support job creation; and promote sustainable solutions that give displaced people options to return and recover.
On this International Migrants Day, we not only advocate for regular migration pathways but also reiterate our support for Afghan communities in every step of their journeys, ensuring that they can to recover from crises, rebuild their lives and create a future of dignity and opportunity.
IOM Afghanistan’s work providing services and seeking sustainable solutions for people on the move is supported by the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF), the European Commission’s Department for International Partnerships, EU Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Islamic Development Bank, Germany-FFO, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), the KfW Development Bank, the Republic of Korea, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA), Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), USAID's Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the US State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), as well as the Governments of Canada, Japan and the Netherlands.
* None of the photographs featured here correspond to the stories or names mentioned, to protect identities.
This story was written by Andi Pratiwi with reporting and photography from the IOM Afghanistan communications team.
MEDIA CONTACT: Angela Wells, awells@iom.int / IOMAFGHANISTANMEDIACOMM@iom.int