[{"bbox": [83, 131, 1147, 266], "category": "Text", "text": "This action would not amount to a recognition of the Taliban government. The action will be governed by strict principles governing the delivery of aid. These include that women, girls and minorities should have non-discriminated access to services, that support cannot be channeled through the Taliban (both in Kabul and on the local level) and their affiliates and that the Action maintains strict operational independence, notably on matters of recruitment policy, implementation and management of support mechanisms."}, {"bbox": [72, 374, 265, 404], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [87, 436, 220, 462], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.1. Context"}, {"bbox": [83, 530, 1147, 710], "category": "Text", "text": "The Afghan forced displacement situation is categorised as one of world's most protracted crisis. More than four decades of conflicts and instability have led Afghans to seek asylum and protection abroad, notably in the neighbouring countries of Iran and Pakistan but also further afield. According to UNHCR and International Organization for Migration (IOM), despite some 5.3 million Afghan refugees returning home since 2002, millions of Afghans remain outside of Afghanistan. These organisations estimate some 2.7 million documented Afghan refugees and up to 3 million undocumented Afghans are currently living in Pakistan and Iran."}, {"bbox": [83, 739, 1147, 855], "category": "Text", "text": "Movements of Afghans within the sub-region have historically been a fact and part of their coping mechanism and an important aspect of cross-border economies and livelihoods: the number of Afghan citizens with no refugee status is estimated at around 1.1 million in Pakistan and around 2.5 million in Iran, including passport holders and undocumented citizens, as of December 2020."}, {"bbox": [83, 885, 1147, 1005], "category": "Text", "text": "The economic downturn in the region, especially in Iran, has triggered record numbers of (undocumented) refugees and migrants to return to Afghanistan, with over 865 000 Afghans crossing the border in 2020¹⁰. The vast majority returned from Iran, reporting that they felt compelled to return due to COVID-19 restrictions, lack of employment opportunities and threats of deportation or criminalisation."}, {"bbox": [83, 1032, 1147, 1273], "category": "Text", "text": "In Afghanistan, the number of internally displaced persons has also been on the raise since 2012, with an estimated 4.9 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) nationwide in 2020. More than 390 000 persons were newly displaced in 2020¹¹. Figures from a recent 'whole of Afghanistan' assessment, facilitated by the United Nations' inter-cluster coordination team, show that the vast majority of those displaced long-term do not intend to return to their place of origin within the next six months. Around half never intend to return. Many displaced people reside in urban/peri-urban informal settlements with precarious land rights and livelihoods. Lacking qualifications and social connections prevent many to integrate in the urban economy, forced secondary (cross-border) displacement. Displaced children and youth lack appropriate access to education and are exposed to health hazards and crime."}, {"bbox": [83, 1302, 1147, 1573], "category": "Text", "text": "The military victory of the Taliban has fundamentally changed the security, political and economic situation in the country. On the one hand, hostilities between the Afghan National Army and the Taliban have stopped, considerably reducing the pressure on rural communities to flee the violence of military confrontation. On the other hand, the economic situation is deteriorating drastically: foreign aid has come to a halt and public officials report not having received their salaries. Banks face a shortage of cash and foreign currencies. This economic crisis is compounded by disasters and climate change related events (droughts, floods, pests and diseases). The result is food insecurity, limited access to land, inadequate shelter, and limited services including healthcare, education, legal assistance, identification, documentation, and very scarce livelihoods opportunities. All these factors have put pressure on the already strained coping mechanisms of the population, resulting in further displacement as the last option for many. According to"}, {"bbox": [72, 1614, 592, 1638], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁰ IOM – [Return of Undocumented Afghans](https://www.iom.org/return-of-undocumented-afghans) – December 2020"}, {"bbox": [72, 1638, 1157, 1663], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹¹ IOM – [Displacement Tracking Matrix - Afghanistan – Baseline Mobility Assessment Summary Results](https://www.iom.org/displacement-tracking-matrix-afghanistan-baseline-mobility-assessment-summary-results) (July–December 2020)"}, {"bbox": [1051, 1664, 1157, 1687], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 4 of 20"}]