The holding centres often lack necessities like water and sanitation, and the people held there are lucky if they even receive two meals a day, as food stocks are often too low to supply enough meals. The need for blankets and winter kits is increasing.
As thousands of Afghans are loaded onto trucks for forced return, the crisis reflects not just the failure of diplomacy but also the erosion of trust between two interdependent nations. Unless talks resume on a more equal footing, analysts warn, South Asia may face yet another cycle of displacement, resentment and instability.
In August, a video surfaced showing an Afghan teenager being violently restrained by Iranian police, which ignited widespread outrage. Discrimination and harassment have long...
Experts advocate treating care as essential social infrastructure. Expanding services, redistributing unpaid work through policy, and challenging norms that sideline educated women could unlock significant gains.
This 2026 event arrives after earlier haor region floods earlier in the year, underscoring recurring pressures. Migration to urban centres and climate adaptation efforts remain critical long-term challenges.
Experts advocate treating care as essential social infrastructure. Expanding services, redistributing unpaid work through policy, and challenging norms that sideline educated women could unlock significant gains.