The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
A "major major" humanitarian crisis is looming in Afghanistan, UNHCR warns
A "major" humanitarian crisis is looming in Afghanistan, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday, amid ongoing uncertainty about the situation for vulnerable Afghans seeking shelter across the country's borders. The “reality is the displacement crisis is inside Afghanistan”, with “more than 600 000 Afghans” displaced this year, “80 per cent of which are women and children,” said UNHCR spokesperson, Babar Baloch, who was speaking from Pakistan. In an appeal to the world not to turn away its attention or focus from Afghans and Afghanistan, he warned that we cannot allow this “to become a humanitarian catastrophe”. Describing the situation at the country’s borders with Pakistan, Mr. Baloch said the UNHCR has “not seen a large refugee influx…crossing over into Pakistan and Iran or other places,”. The explanation for this is unclear: “It could be that some of those people may not think they have the right documents, others may not be so comfortable in terms of confronting armed guards at the borders,” he said. “Afghans are still able to come through Pakistan,” he explained, “but it is very regulated,” and you must show documents such as your ID card, passport or visa. Mr. Baloch’s appeal follows the UNHCR’s repeated call on Tuesday for Afghanistan’s neighbouring States to keep their borders open to those fleeing Afghanistan. Spokesperson Andrej Mahecic warned that many of those wishing to cross into countries such as Pakistan or Iran may not have the documents they need, but may “nevertheless have international protection needs”. Also on Tuesday UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his deep concern at the deepening humanitarian and economic crisis in the country and the threat of a total collapse in basic services. “Now more than ever”, said Mr. Guterres, “Afghan children, women and men need the support and solidarity of the international community”. Mr. Guterres and several other senior UN officials restated their commitment to stay and deliver urgently needed supplies to the millions in the country who need humanitarian aid to survive.
ENDS
STORY: Afghanistan Borders Update UNHCR
TRT: 02:33”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 03 Sept 2021, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Exterior wide shot, United Nations flag flying.
2. Wide shot, briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Babar Baloch, UNHCR spokesperson: “Afghanistan has an internally displacement crisis that we have been trying to talk about, what we are emphasising is that that cannot be allowed to become a humanitarian catastrophe and that's why we have been trying to appeal to the world that don't turn away your attention or focus at this stage from Afghans and Afghanistan”.
4.Mid of cameraman
5. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Babar Baloch, UNHCR spokesperson: “Afghans are still able to come through Pakistan. We have some reports of Iran and other locations, but it is very regulated and then managed flow at the borders. So you need to have your documents to show it could be your ID card. It could be a passport. It could be a visa”.
6.Close of journalist writing
7. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Babar Baloch, UNHCR spokesperson: “So far, what we have not seen is a large refugee influx in terms of a big number crossing over into Pakistan and Iran or other places, we're still trying to analyse what are the reasons behind it. It could be that some of those people may not think they have the right documents, others may not be so comfortable in terms of confronting armed guards at the borders”.
8.Mid of reporter in briefing room
9. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Babar Baloch, UNHCR spokesperson: “So we're still trying time to analyse in terms of why there are not many people coming, there could be many, many reasons, but the reality is the displacement crisis is inside Afghanistan. I mean, we're talking about more than six hundred thousand Afghans that have been displaced during this year”.
10.Mid or reporters in briefing room
11. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Babar Baloch, UNHCR spokesperson: “If you look at the displacement numbers, 80 per cent are women and children, and we know Afghanistan is a landlocked country. If support, if trade is not going into there, we could be facing a major, major crisis.”
12. Wide of briefing room
13. Wide of cameraman
14. Mid of journalist
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , UNOG
Over 11.6 million refugees risk losing aid access due to funding cuts, says UNHCR
Approximately one in three refugees and other vulnerable individuals normally supported by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) are expected to lose out from funding cuts, it said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, made the following announcement on the Office’s opening of a new mission in Bangladesh.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
“The surge in the number of Afghans forced or compelled to return to Afghanistan this year is creating a multi-layered human rights crisis requiring the urgent attention of the international community,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday called for accountability and justice for the killings and other gross human rights violations and abuses in the southern city of Suweida.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNHCR
Syria: hundreds killed in Sweida, ‘widespread’ violations as civilians flee for their lives
Amid violent clashes in southern Syria’s Sweida governorate, a picture of grave human rights abuses and rising humanitarian needs is emerging by the hour, the UN said on Friday.
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva the UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell made the following statement on the latest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called for investigations into hundreds of killings of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank by Israeli security forces and settlers, warning against ongoing forced mass displacement of the Palestinian population.
1
1
2
Edited News | OHCHR , UNRWA
Nearly 900 people have been killed in Gaza in recent weeks trying to fetch food, with most deaths linked to private aid hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the UN Human Rights Office have today released a report detailing the evolution of violent gang incidents beyond the capital Port-au-Prince since October 2024 up to June 2025, and the resulting loss of life and mass displacement.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , OHCHR
Gaza: ‘Unacceptable’ choice between getting shot or getting fed – UN humanitarians
Following the deaths of several children in an Israeli strike on Palestinians waiting in line for nutritional supplements in central Gaza on Thursday, UN humanitarians have once again condemned the killings of people at aid distribution sites in the enclave.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the United Nations bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights made the following comments on the recent violence in Kenya.
1
1
1
Edited News | ITC
US tariffs uncertainty hurts world economy, with poorest countries hit hardest – top UN economist
A new US decision to further delay the end of a 90-day pause on tariffs is bad for business, a top UN economist said on Tuesday.