Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Afghans returning from neighboring countries face rising risks of human trafficking and exploitation as overlapping humanitarian and economic crises intensify, according to the United Nations. Contributing factors include mass returns from Iran and Pakistan, cuts in humanitarian aid, the collapse of the rural opium-based economy, climate disasters, and ongoing restrictions on women and girls’ rights.
Findings from the International Organization for Migration’s Returnee Resilience Overview indicate that only 11% of Afghans surveyed were fully employed or owned a business, while 56% of returnee households reported being unable to cover basic living expenses. Nearly half rely on loans or donations to survive, increasing their vulnerability to exploitative labor practices, debt bondage, and other abuses.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and IOM warn that trafficking victims continue to face forced labor, sexual exploitation, slavery-like conditions, and, in some cases, organ removal. Women, children, returnees, and indebted households are most at risk. Exploitation occurs in sectors such as domestic work, agriculture, mining, brickmaking, and carpet weaving. Other forms include forced begging, forced marriage, child recruitment, and sexual exploitation.
The UN also highlights a growing global threat of trafficking for forced criminality, where victims are coerced into online scam and fraud activities. These operations generate large illicit profits for transnational organized crime, and new technologies, including artificial intelligence, are accelerating their spread. UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted these concerns on the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
IOM Afghanistan Chief of Mission Mihyung Park stated that the scale of returns exceeds what Afghan communities can absorb without significant international support. Lack of access to livelihoods, housing, and basic services may force people toward dangerous migration routes, raising trafficking risks. UNODC Country Representative Polleak Ok Serei emphasized the urgent need for stronger prevention as mass returns, aid reductions, natural disasters, and loss of livelihoods converge.
The agencies call for enhanced regional cooperation to improve protection and prevention efforts amid these challenges.