The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has recently stated that women and girls in Afghanistan are more affected by issues of displacement and climate change than others.
In a published report, the agency noted that since 2023, between 600,000 and 1 million people have been forcibly returned to Afghanistan from neighboring countries.
The report indicates that many of those forcibly returned are living in informal settlements.
UN-Habitat emphasized that women and girls in these settlements face greater pressures during climate change events such as floods, droughts, and the diseases that arise from them.
The agency also added that women during periods of climate change face increased risks, including exposure to harassment and violence while traversing long distances to obtain water.
The report highlighted that insecurity regarding housing, land, and property rights, along with ongoing threats of eviction from their residences, has made life more difficult for women in informal settlements.
It further stated that access to housing and land is the most fundamental need for internally displaced persons and returnees from neighboring countries.
