KABUL, Afghanistan — Roughly 20 percent of migrants returning from Pakistan through the Torkham border crossing are children, many of whom are unaccompanied or have been separated from their parents or guardians, the United Nations Children’s Fund reported Sunday.
UNICEF warned that these children are in a “highly vulnerable and concerning situation,” requiring urgent humanitarian attention. The agency cited poor living conditions, limited access to sanitation, and the risk of disease and psychological trauma as serious threats facing the returnees, particularly children.
According to the report, up to 8,000 people have crossed daily into Afghanistan through Torkham during the first two weeks of April, with many returning with few possessions and in immediate need of assistance.
In coordination with the Chinese government, UNICEF has distributed over 5,700 hygiene kits at the Torkham border. Each kit includes 14 items such as soap, shampoo, reusable sanitary pads, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and water containers. Additional distributions are planned across southern, western and eastern provinces.
The agency also reported that more than 40,000 returnees have participated in UNICEF-led hygiene education sessions, which cover topics including handwashing, safe water storage and menstrual hygiene. To respect cultural sensitivities, sessions are held separately for men and women.
To improve sanitation in border reception areas, UNICEF has installed mobile and fixed water systems, handwashing stations, and hundreds of latrines.
The agency said the aim of these efforts is to protect the health and dignity of families returning under difficult conditions — many of whom have endured years of displacement, poverty, and the effects of climate change.
