The number of refugees returning to Afghanistan has quintupled in a year, reaching record levels, with the UN refugee agency expressing concern about the adaptation of girls and women in the country.

The UN Refugee Agency has reported that 1.6 million Syrian refugees have returned to Syria since the change of power. This figure highlights significant population movements within the region.

More than 80,000 refugees have died or disappeared since 2014, with approximately 7,900 fatalities or disappearances recorded last year, according to new figures from the UN Refugee Agency.

The UNHCR has expressed its appreciation for China's support towards refugees and internally displaced people in the Central African Republic.

The UNHCR, along with regional governments and partners, has reaffirmed its commitment to finding long-term solutions for the plight of Burundian refugees.

UNHCR has welcomed strengthened commitments towards the voluntary repatriation of Congolese refugees from Zambia.

With women banned from most jobs in Afghanistan, an embroidery boutique run by 22-year-old Rahima Alavi is a surprising and treasured sight in Bamiyan. “Spring flowers, tailoring and embroidery,” reads a sign outside Alavi’s small store, which opened in January after a months-long search for work. “I really feel proud because I can support my family, my parents and three sisters. I can pay the rent,” said Alavi, who was wearing a burgundy coat that had a few pieces of leftover coloured thread stuck to it. This photograph taken on January 20, 2026 shows Afghan tailoress Rahima Alavi embroidering a scarf at her boutique in Bamiyan. —AFP Demonstrating her new skills, she guided material through her sewing machine to create delicate silk leaves and flowers. Alavi is one of more than five million people who have returned to the country since 2023 from Pakistan and Iran, which have been pushing back Afghans after hosting them for decades. Having grown up in rural Bamiyan province, where she helped her parents with farm work alongside school, the family moved to Iran in 2021. “In Iran, there were more job opportunities, and there, men and women can work,” she said. They picked cabbages for a living near the central city of Isfahan, before returning to Afghanistan in 2024. “My father couldn’t find a job, nor could I or my sisters. I was very hopeless, because there were no jobs in Bamiyan,” she said, her smile fading. his photograph taken on January 20, 2026 shows Afghan tailoress Rahima Alavi (L) embroidering scarves and clothes at her boutique in Bamiyan. —AFP Only one per cent of women who returned from Pakistan or Iran have found full-time jobs, while two per cent have a business, according to a survey by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Alavi struggled for months, before being picked along with 25 other women for embroidery training under a programme backed by the UN refugee agency. “I started to have hope, and my hope grew bigger with the course,” she said. ‘No work for women’ Alavi was given a range of equipment including a sewing machine, fabric and cash for a solar panel — essential in a country where power cuts are commonplace. Her teacher, Rayhana Darabi, described Alavi as “very capable, very talented”. “She was so dedicated that she would not miss anything and learned everything that same day,” said Darabi. The embroidery teacher lost her job in December when the programme was discontinued, as part of broader aid cuts hitting people across Afghanistan. Alavi is the only woman from the programme to have successfully opened a business so far, with her best friend’s support, bringing great pride to those around her. This photograph taken on January 20, 2026 shows Afghan women embroidering scarves and clothes at a boutique in Bamiyan. —AFP “We were truly very happy. Women in Afghanistan today — not only in Bamiyan but all over the country — face many challenges and rules and regulations,” said her teacher. The Afghan Taliban authorities rule by a strict interpretation of Islamic law, barring women from the majority of professions while permitting some to work in industries such as handicrafts. Alavi appealed to donors to restart the training programme. “Because there is no work for women here,” she said. Last year, women were the majority among nearly 2,400 people trained under UNHCR programmes. The agency said this month it needed $216m this year to support displaced people and returnees across the country, but its appeal was currently just eight per cent funded. With opportunities increasingly limited, Alavi encouraged her fellow returnee women to seek out any chance available. “Don’t sit at home,” said the entrepreneur, surrounded by embroidered dresses, scarves and tablecloths. Decorated across one of the scarves, which Alavi said she would like to wear, she had embroidered purple butterflies taking flight.

In Biringi, a South Sudanese mother is working to reconstruct her family's life and future, as highlighted by the UNHCR.

A UN refugee agency spokesperson stated that the war in Iran is placing increasing pressure on humanitarian operations worldwide, with the insecure situation around the Strait of Hormuz raising costs and impacting aid.

A former player for the Greek football club Panathinaikos is prominently featured in a post by the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. The UNHCR was founded in 1950 to protect the rights of refugees.

The UNHCR is calling for urgent support as 33,000 Congolese refugees have returned home from Burundi within a month, highlighting a significant humanitarian need.

UNHCR reports that providing shelter is crucial for driving stability, protection, and inclusion for refugees and host communities in the Kakuma camp.

UN refugee agency says forced displacement likely to increase as US and Israel continue deadly strikes across Iran.

Middle East situation is 'major humanitarian emergency', UN refugee agency says  Reuters

UNHCR calls for urgent support to sustain refugee protection and returnee reintegration in Burundi  UNHCR - The UN Refugee Agency

According to the United Nations, at least 380 people have been killed in Lebanon since the official ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group began. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported this figure from Geneva.

UNHCR highlights Marwa's inspiring path back into the IT sector, showcasing efforts to bridge the digital divide and empower individuals through technology.

The ongoing Middle East war has led to the displacement of millions, with over 51,500 Iranians crossing into Turkiye between February 28 and March 26, according to the UN Refugee Agency.

Life in Iran is significantly impacted by ongoing airstrikes, with an estimated 3.2 million people temporarily displaced since the commencement of US-Israeli military attacks, according to a UN refugee agency.

Over 3 Million Iranians Forcibly Displaced Under US-Israeli Bombardment More than 3 million Iranians have been displaced by the ongoing US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic, according to the main UN refugee agency. Ayaki Ito, director of the Division of Emergency and Program Support at the UN refugee agency, has described that the US-Israeli attack has already triggered mass internal displacement across Iran. "Between 600,000 and 1 million Iranian households are now tempo...

The UN Refugee Agency has warned of a growing humanitarian crisis in Iran, with families fleeing conflict-affected areas amid rising insecurity and limited access to essential services, urging protection for civilians and humanitarian access.

From trash to art: A Congolese refugee woman's creative journey and resilience  UNHCR - The UN Refugee Agency

It's been a little over a year since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria ended a 14-year civil war. More than 1.3 million Syrians have returned home since then, according to the UN refugee agency, primarily from neighbouring countries such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt — but also from as far away as Canada.