Operations

2016 Plan Summary

The Afghan National Unity Government has made a strong commitment to supporting returns and reintegration of refugees in the context of the “transformation decade”. In 2016, the Office will continue to support the Government to implement the comprehensive plan to facilitate the return of Afghan refugees in safety and dignity and their sustainable reintegration, within the framework of the national development strategy and priority programmes. Representing 20 per cent of Afghanistan’s population, returnees remain a key population of concern to UNHCR.    
 
In cooperation with the authorities, UNHCR will also pursue community-based, solutions-oriented interventions for the most vulnerable displaced families from Pakistan’s North Waziristan Agency. Their gradual voluntary repatriation is anticipated to start in 2016, in alignment with the Government of Pakistan’s programme for the return of internally displaced people (IDPs) to North Waziristan.
 
Internal displacement in Afghanistan is expected to continue, reflecting the overall security situation in the country. UNHCR will continue to work with the authorities to implement the national IDP policy, although operational challenges remain, and to lead the inter-agency protection and shelter clusters for this response.  
 
Insecurity is expected to continue to hamper humanitarian access. Critical funding gaps in the areas of shelter, core relief items, livelihoods, and response to sexual and gender-based violence are likely to remain a challenge, jeopardizing the sustainability of reintegration of returnees, as well as the protection of refugees and IDPs, thus impacting the stabilization of the population in Afghanistan.