---
title: "NRC in Afghanistan"
description: "In Afghanistan, decades of war, political unrest and economic turmoil have forced families from their homes and left millions of people in chronic poverty – made worse by recurrent droughts, earthquakes, flooding and regional tensions."
url: "https://www.nrc.no/countries/asia/afghanistan"
language: "en"
published: "2024-12-20T14:01:09Z"
modified: "2026-09-22T13:28:50Z"
---

# NRC in Afghanistan

Three sisters from a rural village in Badghis province, where NRC is helping families cope with drought and water scarcity. Photo: Maisam Shafiey/NRC

In Afghanistan, decades of war, political unrest and economic turmoil have forced families from their homes and left millions of people in chronic poverty – made worse by recurrent droughts, earthquakes, flooding and regional tensions.

Published 20. Dec 2024 Updated 22. Sep 2026

[Afghanistan](https://www.nrc.no/themes?categoryId=29)

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is on the ground, doing everything we can to help people feed their families, find shelter and access clean water – as well as protecting those who have been displaced, especially vulnerable women and children.

## What’s happening in Afghanistan?

Although the country-wide war ended in 2021, Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis continues. Mass returns from Iran and Pakistan are placing further pressure on communities already struggling with poverty, economic instability and recurrent disasters. Today, an estimated 21.9 million people in Afghanistan require support, while 3.2 million people remain internally displaced and living in precarious conditions.

Across the country, unemployment is widespread, food costs are soaring and many people remain heavily reliant on aid. Most Afghans now live below the poverty line, while millions are experiencing food insecurity.

This already dire situation has been made worse by mass returns from neighbouring countries, with over six million Afghans returning from Iran and Pakistan since late 2023. Ongoing regional tensions have also disrupted trade routes and driven inflation, while severe funding shortfalls continue to limit humanitarian response efforts.

## Our response

We’re working with our partners in the following areas:

- **Water, sanitation and hygiene -** constructing, repairing and maintaining safe water supplies, latrines and bathing facilities, as well as helping to tackle deadly waterborne diseases.

- **Shelter and settlements** – providing people with temporary shelter during emergencies, helping them withstand harsh weather conditions, and constructing or repairing more permanent, climate-adapted places to live.

- **Education** – providing community-based learning for out-of-school and displaced children, supporting transitions to formal schooling, creating safe spaces for trauma recovery.

- **Protection from violence** – running community safety programmes and protection services, and helping vulnerable people reduce protection risks and access support.

- **Information, counselling and legal assistance** – helping people obtain identity documentation, get advice on employment law and essential services and claim housing, land and property rights.

- **Emergency response** – responding to disasters and the effects of climate change by providing emergency supplies and cash assistance, as well as supporting emergency preparedness.

[Download the factsheet for NRC in Afghanistan](https://www.nrc.no/resources/fact-sheets/nrc-afghanistan--fact-sheet)

## Our operations

**NRC office established:** 2003

**Areas of operation:** Kabul (country office), Badghis, Balkh, Faryab, Herat, Kabul, Kandahar, Khost, Kunduz, Nangarhar, Sar-e-pul, Uruzgan, Zabul

**Country Director:** Jacopo Caridi

**Contact:** [af-infonew@nrc.no](mailto:af-infonew@nrc.no)

## Our impact

In 2025, we assisted 341,064 people through our programmes in Afghanistan:

- 57,611

  Education
- 37,587

  Livelihoods and food security
- 58,318

  Shelter and settlements
- 28,244

  Protection from violence
- 82,698

  Information, counselling and legal assistance
- 89,385

  Water, sanitation and hygiene
- 7,056

  Multi-purpose cash assistance

***Note:** some people received more than one type of assistance.*

### News and stories

## [Afraid of being forgotten](https://www.nrc.no/feature/2026/afghanistan-afraid-of-being-forgotten)

02. Oct 2026 | Feature

Press release

## [Afghanistan: Families in free-fall, abandoned and ignored](https://www.nrc.no/news/2026/afghanistan-families-in-free-fall-abandoned-and-ignored)

09. Sep 2026 | Afghanistan

## [Big dreams in a remote village: Nooragha’s journey to education](https://www.nrc.no/perspectives/2026/big-dreams-in-a-remote-village-nooraghas-journey-to-education)

19. Aug 2026 | Afghanistan

[More news and stories](https://www.nrc.no/search?searchCategories=123,125,172,335,29&searchMethod=1)

### Publications

## [Beyond Short-Term Aid: Financing Durable Solutions for Displaced Afghans](https://www.nrc.no/resources/reports/beyond-short-term-aid-financing-durable-solutions-for-displaced-afghans)

31. Aug 2026 | Afghanistan

## [Tackling the Tazkira (National ID) Documentation Gap Among Afghan Returnees](https://www.nrc.no/resources/briefing-notes/tackling-the-tazkira-national-id-documentation-gap-among-afghan-returnees)

26. Mar 2026 | Afghanistan

## [Four years later: Afghanistan since the return of the Taliban](https://www.nrc.no/resources/briefing-notes/four-years-later-afghanistan-since-the-return-of-the-taliban)

29. Aug 2025 | Afghanistan

[More publications](https://www.nrc.no/search?searchCategories=124,131,132,175,178,314,315,29&searchMethod=1)

**Region:** Central Asia  
**Population:** 43.84 million  
**Total displaced:** 8.3 million   
**Refugees hosted:** 21,251