UNICEF: 600,000 Afghan Returnees from Pakistan, Two-Thirds Are Children
Tawazon– The head of UNICEF in Afghanistan, Tajudeen Oyewale, has stated that approximately two-thirds of the Afghan returnees from Pakistan are children, raising serious humanitarian concerns.
According to Oyewale, nearly 600,000 Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan since September 2023. Of these, around 400,000 are children**, a figure he described as alarming due to the vulnerability of this group.
In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Oyewale also stated that 782 children were separated from their families during the return process. However, with the assistance of UNICEF, these children have now been reunited with their families.
During a recent visit to the Torkham border crossing in eastern Afghanistan, Oyewale met with a number of children who had been placed in Child-Friendly Spaces— safe areas designed to offer displaced children a sense of normalcy and protection.
He emphasized that these spaces not only provide a secure environment but also offer psychosocial, educational, and social support to help children cope with the challenges of displacement.
The current situation underscores the urgent need for sustained international humanitarian assistance, especially for children who continue to bear the brunt of conflict, displacement, and economic hardship in the region.
