Afghanistan Borders Update - UNHCR
/
2:34
/
MP4
/
189.1 MB

Edited News | UNHCR , UNOG , UNITED NATIONS

Afghanistan Borders Update - UNHCR

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


Audio Files 1
Download Afghanistan Borders Update - UNHCR
Download

Similar Stories

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Elizabeth Throssell on DPRK

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Elizabeth Throssell on DPRK ENG FRA

New UN Human Rights report finds 10 years of increased suffering repression and fear

The UN Human Rights Office on Friday published a report on the human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) since 2014. 

Afghanistan update - UNICEF UNHCR 12 September 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | UNICEF , UNHCR

Afghanistan update - UNICEF UNHCR 12 September 2025 ENG FRA

The ongoing humanitarian response to the devastating Afghanistan earthquake disaster continued on Friday, although essential services have been cut for operational reasons following reinforced Taliban restrictions on women working with the UN, the global body said.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report on DRC at the 60th Human Rights Council

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report on DRC at the 60th Human Rights Council ENG FRA

Un nouveau rapport du Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux droits de l'homme sur la République démocratique du Congo évoque le spectre de crimes de guerre et de crimes contre l'humanité dans le Nord et le Sud-Kivu., 

HRC60 Press Conference: Report of the Sudan Fact-Finding Mission - 09 September 2025

2

1

2

Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC

HRC60 Press Conference: Report of the Sudan Fact-Finding Mission - 09 September 2025 ENG FRA

A high-level independent rights probe into the Sudan crisis on Tuesday condemned the many grave crimes committed against civilians by all parties to the war, citing disturbing evidence indicating that they had been “deliberately targeted, displaced and starved”.

Ukraine attacks - health update - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Ukraine attacks - health update - WHO ENG FRA

Ukraine: ‘Relentless’ attacks rattle health system as winter approaches: WHO

Ambulances attacked, chronically ill patients lacking care and no peace in sight: for millions of Ukrainians, the run-up to another winter of war is just the latest life-or-death challenge they face, the UN health agency (WHO) said on Tuesday.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his report on Sri Lanka to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity ENG FRA

A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025 ENG FRA

As billions of people continue to breathe polluted air that causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths every year, UN climate experts on Friday highlighted how damaging microscopic smoke particles from wildfires play their part, travelling half-way across the world.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence made the following comment on the on-going presidential election process in Cameroon at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva. 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office released a new report on Myanmar, describing death, destruction and desperation which reflect atrocities committed in 2017. 

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR ENG FRA

Afghanistan: Humanitarians scramble to reach survivors of deadly quake; response at ‘breaking point’

In remote eastern Afghanistan, aid workers are racing to assist survivors of Sunday’s devastating earthquake as the death toll continues to climb, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.