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ISLAMABAD: The Islam Qala reception center, Afghanistan&#39;s second-largest border crossing with Iran, has suspended all operations except basic health services after Taliban authorities banned female humanitarian workers from non-medical roles, according to the International Organization for Migration&#39;s December emergency border response report. The Taliban-imposed shutdown has left thousands stranded at the border during Afghanistan&#39;s harshest winter months. &quot;Negotiations with authorities at the Herat level is ongoing, with DfA maintaining its stance that non-health female staff cannot work at the IQ Reception Centre at this stage,&quot; IOM reported, halting services for an average of 1,224 people crossing daily. Taliban employment restrictions have created measurable disparities in humanitarian reach. Afghanistan&#39;s Eastern Region, operating with fewer Taliban-imposed constraints, achieved 122% of humanitarian targets. They were able to assist 196,831 people against a goal of 161,774, according to the Emergency Shelter and Non-Food Items Cluster&#39;s November snapshot. The Central Region, which includes the shuttered Islam Qala crossing, reached only 37% of targets. This is a 63% shortfall the cluster attributed to operational restrictions. The Central Highland Region, where Taliban authorities imposed severe limitations on humanitarian movement, recorded zero people receiving shelter assistance in November against a target of 8,963 households, according to cluster data. The complete freeze occurred as Afghanistan entered winter, when the cluster documented a 77.5% national gap in winterization assistance. This has left 779,198 people without supplies. &quot;Only 12,200 households received winterization assistance as of December 15, against an assessed need of 57,000 households,&quot; according to the shelter cluster&#39;s winterization dashboard. The 78% gap affecting approximately 400,000 people resulted from &quot;operational restrictions preventing delivery&quot; despite available resources, the dashboard noted. Organizations possess capacity to assist 22,700 households through $21.8 million in available resources, but Taliban-imposed constraints prevent delivery, the dashboard indicates. Only 22% of the $179.1 million emergency shelter requirement has been funded, with donors citing concerns about operating under Taliban restrictions, according to cluster data. Taliban restrictions on women systematically block aid access. Women comprise 51% of all returnees but face layered Taliban-imposed barriers, according to UNHCR&#39;s December 2025 Post-Return Monitoring Survey Report interviewing 1,658 households. &quot;Only 37% of women reported mobile phone access compared to 96% of men,&quot; the UNHCR survey found, a gap that &quot;continues to restrict women&#39;s ability to access information and assistance&quot; due to Taliban restrictions on women&#39;s movement and communication. Taliban employment bans devastated women&#39;s economic survival. &quot;Only 24% of women among returnees reported earning an income, compared to 66% of men,&quot; UNHCR documented. Female-headed households suffered worst: &quot;88% skip meals&quot; versus 82% generally, and &quot;74% of renters are unable to afford costs.&quot; Taliban mahram requirements (mandating male guardians for women&#39;s travel)&nbsp;created healthcare crises. &quot;Women were disproportionately represented among those with unmet care needs, reflecting the impact of movement restrictions and mahram requirements,&quot; with 34% of households unable to obtain needed medical attention, UNHCR reported. The Taliban&#39;s education ban shattered access for girls. &quot;71% of returnee households reported that no girls in the family were enrolled in school,&quot; with 37% citing the ban as the primary barrier, UNHCR found. Among Iran returnees, 44% cited Taliban &quot;policies and laws&quot; as the key obstacle versus 28% among Pakistan returnees. Taliban policies are driving re-displacement. &quot;40% of returnees cited restrictions on women&#39;s education and work as the primary reason&quot; relatives left Afghanistan again after returning, UNHCR&#39;s survey found. &quot;Among those from Iran who intend to leave, 71% reported that they would return to Iran.&quot; The Taliban&#39;s Islam Qala shutdown occurred during peak flows. In Herat&#39;s Western Region, organizations recorded a 100% gap in emergency shelter: zero households helped against a target of 182,040,&nbsp;despite 34,431 returnees from Iran, according to cluster data. Temporal data exposes how Taliban restrictions progressively strangled operations. The Central Highland Region assisted 12,104 people in March but zero by November. The Northern Region dropped 98% (from 24,675 to 385). The Southeastern Region fell 95%,&nbsp;from 7,610 to 407, according to monthly snapshots. Between January and November, 2.7 million Afghans returned to Afghanistan, UNHCR reported. &quot;UNHCR assisted over 475,000 Afghans returning from Iran and Pakistan despite significant operational and funding challenges&quot;,&nbsp;reaching only 18% due to Taliban-imposed operational constraints. &quot;Returnees continue to settle in areas with fragile conditions marked by deepening poverty and limited access to essential services,&quot; UNHCR concluded. &quot;Many cannot return to their areas of origin due to lack of shelter, land, or livelihoods&quot;&mdash;outcomes the agencies directly linked to Taliban restrictions preventing humanitarian organizations from operating at documented capacity.

Afghanistan

Taliban restrictions on female aid workers and humanitarian operations have crippled winter assistance for 2.7 million Afghan returnees, leaving 78% without critical support.

Taliban restrictions cripple humanitarian aid as 2.7 million Afghans return to winter crisis

ISLAMABAD: Global forced displacement is projected to reach a record 139.3 million people by the end of 2025 across 136 countries, despite a brief mid-year decline, as severe funding cuts threaten humanitarian response and aid agencies warn donor fatigue has become the biggest crisis facing refugees worldwide. UNHCR forecasts that 139.3 million people will be forcibly displaced by year-end, up from 123.2 million at the end of 2024. Mid-year figures showed 117.3 million displaced, a temporary dip of 5.9 million that masked the worsening crisis. Sudan became the world&#39;s largest displacement crisis with 14.3 million refugees and internally displaced people, replacing Syria at 13.5 million, followed by Afghanistan with 10.3 million and Ukraine with 8.8 million. The modest decline masks a deepening humanitarian catastrophe. Up to 11.6 million refugees risk losing UNHCR assistance in 2025, representing one-third of those reached last year. UNHCR&#39;s funding requirements for 2025 are $10.6 billion, yet only 23% have been met by mid-year. UNHCR projects ending 2025 with $3.9 billion available, a decrease of $1.3 billion compared to 2024. High Commissioner Filippo Grandi noted the last time UNHCR had less than $4 billion was in 2015, when forcibly displaced people numbered half today&#39;s total. The consequences The funding crisis has forced brutal choices.&nbsp;The UNHCR reduced its global staffing by 30%, eliminated 3,500 permanent positions, terminated hundreds of temporary roles, and downsized or closed offices worldwide. In South Sudan, 75% of safe spaces for women and girls supported by UNHCR closed, leaving 80,000 refugee women and girls without access to medical care or psychosocial support. In Afghanistan, protection services primarily for women and girls were cut by more than half, while in Lebanon, over 83,000 refugees lost shelter assistance, according to UNHCR. In Uganda, malnutrition rates are soaring in reception centers with limited clean water and food. Education for 230,000 Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh risks suspension, while UNHCR&#39;s entire health programme in Lebanon may shut down by year-end. Nine of the top 20 humanitarian donors announced Official Development Assistance (ODA) cuts by mid-2025, including three of the four largest donors. Germany&#39;s draft 2025 budget proposed a 53% reduction in humanitarian assistance, while the UK government plans to cut foreign assistance from 0.5% to 0.3% of Gross National Income (GNI) by 2027. UN aid coordination took in $15 billion in 2025 funding, the lowest level in a decade, reaching 25 million fewer people than in 2024. The climate crisis The decrease in displacement figures stems largely from Syrian returns. Nearly one million internally displaced Syrians returned between January and June 2025, reducing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) by 13% to 6.5 million, while at least 526,100 Syrians returned from abroad. However, many returns happened under adverse conditions. A UNHCR report released on Nov. 10 revealed a troubling &quot;climate trap&quot;: 75% of displaced people are living in countries with high-to-extreme climate exposure. In early 2025, about 1.2 million refugees tried to return home, but half returned to climate-vulnerable drought and flood zones, risking secondary displacement. The report warns that by 2050, the world&#39;s 15 hottest refugee camps, mainly in the Sahel, will experience 200 days of dangerous heat per year, effectively making them uninhabitable. It remains unclear how sustainable current returns will be as active conflict has abated, but insecurity persists, and basic services remain inadequate. Low and middle-income countries host 73% of the world&#39;s refugees, with 67% staying in neighboring countries and 60% never leaving their own country. Looking ahead to 2026, donors pledged $1.161 billion to UNHCR, slightly above last year&#39;s all-time high and covering almost 18% of projected needs. Yet the percentage of unrestricted funding dropped to 17%, nearly half of what it was in 2023, limiting UNHCR&#39;s capacity to allocate resources where needs are greatest. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said disease outbreaks spiked, millions went without essential food and healthcare, and programmes protecting women and girls were slashed as hundreds of aid organizations shut. Grandi warned that whether the decline in displacement continues or reverses depends largely on achieving peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Ukraine, preventing deterioration in South Sudan, improving return conditions in Afghanistan and Syria, and securing adequate funding to address displacement crises globally.

Photo from the Global Appeal 2025 report (UNHCR)

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Americas

UNHCR warns global forced displacement will reach a record 139.3 million by the end of 2025, as conflicts, climate risks, and severe funding cuts deepen humanitarian crises, leaving millions of refugees without protection, aid, and basic services worldwide.

Forced displacement to reach 139M by end-2025, warns UNHCR

Reuters

About 10 countries including Australia, Belgium, Britain and Canada are expected to formally recognise an independent Palestinian state on Monday at a summit before the annual leaders&#39; gathering at the UN General Assembly.What would that mean for the Palestinians and Israel?What is the status of Palestinian statehood now?The Palestine Liberation Organization declared an independent Palestinian state in 1988, and most of the global South quickly recognized it. Today, 147 of the 193 UN member states have done so - most recently Mexico, in January.Netanyahu&rsquo;s position&nbsp;Israel&#39;s main ally, the United States, has long said it will recognize a Palestinian state, but only after the Palestinians agree with Israel on a &quot;two-state solution&quot;. Until recent weeks, the major European powers shared this position.However, no such negotiations have been held since 2014, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has now said there will never be a Palestinian state.A delegation representing the State of Palestine has observer status at the United Nations - but no voting rights.Washington&rsquo;s veto&nbsp;No matter how many countries recognize Palestinian independence, full UN membership would require approval by the Security Council, where Washington has a veto.Palestinian diplomatic missions worldwide are controlled by the Palestinian Authority, which is recognized internationally as representing the Palestinian people.The PA, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, exercises limited self-rule in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank under agreements with Israel. It issues Palestinian passports and runs the Palestinian health and education systems.The Gaza Strip has been administered by Hamas since 2007, when it drove out Abbas&#39;s Fatah movement after a brief civil war, although the PA still funds many salaries.US embassy in Jerusalem&nbsp;Most major powers, with the exception of the US since President Donald Trump moved its embassy to Jerusalem, have their main diplomatic missions in Tel Aviv because they do not recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.However, about 40 have consular offices in Ramallah in the West Bank, or in East Jerusalem - an area whose annexation by Israel is not internationally recognized, which the Palestinians want as their capital.They include China, Russia, Japan, Germany, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and South Africa.Countries planning to recognize a Palestinian state have not said what difference that would make to their diplomatic representation.Who is promising to recognize Palestine and why?Britain, France, Canada, Australia and Belgium have all said they will recognise a Palestinian state around the time of the UN General Assembly this month, although London said it could hold back if Israel were to take steps to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and commit to a long-term peace process.The countries say these moves are intended to put pressure on Israel to end its devastating assault on Gaza, curtail the building of new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and recommit to a peace process with the Palestinians.French President Emmanuel Macron, the first leader of a major Western power to endorse recognition, said the move would be accompanied by a commitment by the PA to enact reforms, which would improve Palestinian governance and make it a more credible partner for the post-war administration of Gaza.What has recognition meant in practice?Those who see recognition as a mere gesture point to the limited influence in the conflict of countries such as China, Russia and many Arab states that recognized Palestinian independence decades ago.Without a full seat at the UN or control of its own borders, the Palestinian Authority has only limited ability to conduct bilateral relations. There are no formal embassies in Palestinian territory, and countries cannot freely send diplomats there.Israel restricts access to goods, investment and educational or cultural exchanges. There are no Palestinian airports. The landlocked West Bank can be reached only through Israel or through the Israeli-controlled border with Jordan, and Israel controls all access to the Gaza Strip.Still, countries planning recognition and the PA itself say it would be more than an empty gesture.&#39;An equal footing&#39;&nbsp;The Palestinian ambassador to Britain, Husam Zomlot, said it could lead to partnerships between entities on an equal footing.It might also force countries to review aspects of their relationships with Israel, said Vincent Fean, a former British consul-general in Jerusalem.In Britain&#39;s case, this might result in banning products that come from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, he said, even though the practical impact on the Israeli economy would be minimal.Israeli, US reactionIsrael, facing a global outcry over its conduct in the Gaza war, says recognition would reward Hamas.After decades of being formally committed to a peace process ending in Palestinian independence, Israel is now run by its most far-right government, including parties sworn to make it impossible for the Palestinians ever to gain a state.Netanyahu says Israel will never give up ultimate security control of Gaza or the West Bank.The United States strongly opposes the recognition moves by its European allies. It has responded by imposing sanctions on Palestinian officials, including blocking Abbas and other PA figures from attending the UN General Assembly by denying and revoking visas.

Middle East

About 10 countries plan to formally recognize Palestine, pressuring Israel over Gaza and settlements. Recognition remains symbolic without UN membership or control, but may equalize diplomatic relations and impact Israel politically. 

Articles tagged with "Humanitarian Crisis"

Taliban restrictions cripple humanitarian aid as 2.7 million Afghans return to winter crisis

Forced displacement to reach 139M by end-2025, warns UNHCR

What would wider recognition of Palestine mean for Palestinians and Israel?