Durable solutions for Afghans IDPs and returnees must be built from the community up

February 2, 2025
A camera captures a man in traditional clothing standing on rocky terrain.

Photo: UNDP Afghanistan

The situation for returnees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nangarhar Province, Eastern Afghanistan, remains critical. In this interview, Anatoly Balavnev, UNDP Area Manager for the Eastern Region of Afghanistan, explains how UNDP, in collaboration with other UN partners, is working to create durable solutions for IDPs, returnees, and home communities. As of early 2024, Afghanistan had around 1.7 million IDPs, with Nangarhar significantly impacted. The province has seen a large influx of returnees from conflict zones and neighboring countries. Many returnees face homelessness, unemployment, and poor living conditions, with 63% rating their housing as poor or very poor. Economic hardship, insufficient humanitarian aid, and limited access to basic services like healthcare, education, and clean water exacerbate their struggles, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive support systems

Q: What makes the Eastern Region of Afghanistan particularly challenging for managing IDPs and returnees?

The Eastern Region, known as the breadbasket of Afghanistan, faces significant challenges due to the high number of internally displaced persons and returnees. Afghanistan's history of man-made and natural disasters has led to large-scale displacement. Recently, over 193,000 returnees from Pakistan have settled in this region, putting immense pressure on limited resources. These individuals often arrive without documentation or social networks, which exacerbates their vulnerability.

Q: How does UNDP approach the integration of IDPs and returnees into local communities?

UNDP adopts a durable solutions approach, focusing on long-term integration rather than just immediate humanitarian assistance. We aim to create an enabling environment where IDPs can be absorbed by host communities without causing conflict or resource imbalance. Our community-based approach involves closely monitoring the needs of each community, engaging with local leaders, and extending support to both returnees and host communities. This ensures a balanced and sustainable solution.

Q: Can you highlight some specific interventions UNDP has implemented to support these communities?

We work on multiple fronts. For instance, we collaborate with the private sector to create employment opportunities for IDPs and returnees. We provide conditional support to companies that agree to hire these individuals, fostering their integration into the community. Additionally, we use nature-based solutions like afforestation to address environmental challenges such as flash floods, which are common in this region. Planting trees helps prevent flash floods and creates a more favorable environment, while increasing the community water table and creating other value-chain opportunities, for example, thanks to the plantation of jujube trees.

Q: How does the cash-for-work approach benefit the local community?

The cash-for-work approach is a vital tool we use to engage local communities. We hire local unskilled workers, teach them necessary skills, and pay them daily wages. This not only injects money into the local economy but also helps individuals learn new skills and fosters a sense of ownership over the projects. For example, in our afforestation projects, community members are involved in planting and maintaining trees, which enhances the sustainability of these initiatives. Over half of the costs of afforestation go directly into the hands of community workers, both men and women.

Q: What strategies does UNDP use to foster social cohesion and linkages in these communities?

Creating social linkages is crucial for the integration of IDPs and returnees. We work to establish connections between the private sector and local communities by helping to create sustainable jobs and businesses. Our exit strategy includes market access, ensuring that supported companies can thrive independently. By linking these companies with potential export markets and helping them with branding and marketing, we aim to create long-term sustainability.

A group of men in an orchard, discussing, with orange trees in the background.

Q: Can you share some of the most promising initiatives you've seen in the Eastern Region?

One of the most promising initiatives is our disaster risk reduction interventions. This includes both infrastructural projects like flood protection walls and soft components like community training on disaster preparedness. Investing in prevention is far more cost-effective than responding to disasters. Our estimates indicate that each dollar invested in disaster risk reduction results in savings of four dollars of future humanitarian aid for the next two years. Additionally, our area-based approach, which involves direct communication and collaboration with communities, has proven to be highly effective in addressing specific needs and fostering solutions.

Q: What is the value of UNDP's area-based approach in the Afghan context?

In Afghanistan, our interaction with de facto governance is quite limited, but we still need to reach people. The only way to do this is through direct communication and working closely with the community. This is the essence of the area-based approach. At UNDP, we visit each community, discuss their needs, and find suitable solutions together. Interestingly, communities often come up with innovative approaches themselves, and sometimes we provide guidance. The collaboration between UNDP and the communities creates the greatest value. Our tailored approach is the most important aspect of our work, ensuring that solutions are relevant and sustainable.