The following sources of information about conditions in Afghanistan may prove helpful for refugees and asylum seekers considering return and to decision makers on return policies and programmes and those seeking to influence them.
Further links to some key policy papers on conditions in and return to Afghanistan can be found on the Refugee Council’s website in the policy section.
Government Organisations
The UK Department for International Development’s (DfID) Afghanistan page provides information about development and reconstruction in Afghanistan and gives further details about the department’s strategy for the country.
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) Afghanistan Country Profile gives an overview about the country including information on recent developments, and links to other sites of interest.
The UK Home Office’s Country of Origin Information Service (COI Service) seeks to provide accurate, objective, sourced and up-to-date information on asylum seekers' countries of origin, for use by UK Border Agency officials involved in the asylum determination process. Its 'Country of Origin Information report' for Afghanistan is also available.
The website of the Office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan provides information on Afghanistan's National Budget, the Government's Donor Assistance Database, and on major international conferences on Afghan reconstruction and links to the Ministry sites.
The US Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) is a Federal Advisory Committee with a U.S. Government Charter. It monitors and reports on regional security for American businesses operating overseas. Its Afghanistan page can be accessed here.
The US State Department travel advice for Afghanistan can be found here.
Inter-Governmental Organisations
The Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) project is part of the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA). It acts as a central location for data and information, to reinforce the co-ordination and humanitarian response activities for Afghan rehabilitation and development.
The Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) is part of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Its principal role is to provide news and analysis about sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia for the humanitarian community. It runs a news service which is editorially independent of OCHA including pages on Afghanistan.
ReliefWeb is an on-line gateway to information (documents and maps) on humanitarian emergencies and disasters, designed to assist the international humanitarian community in effective delivery of emergency assistance. ReliefWeb is administered by the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). ReliefWeb's Afghanistan page contains information from humanitarian agencies working in the region, including assessments of conditions in the country.
The UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) was established in 2002 and has a mandate to provide political and strategic advice for the peace process; provide good offices; assist Afghanistan’s government towards implementation of the Afghanistan Compact; promote human rights; provide technical assistance; and continue to manage all UN humanitarian relief, recovery, reconstruction and development activities in co-ordination with the government.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) Afghanistan pages provide news, information, research and statistics on the country, with particular emphasis on returnee issues.
The United Nations News Centre for Afghanistan collates information and news about the country from various UN agencies and bodies active in the country.
The World Health Organization’s Afghanistan page provides information on health indicators, prevalent diseases and healthcare provision in the country.
News Organisations
Afghanistan Online includes links to sites dealing with many aspects of Afghan culture and society. It also has its own online press digest.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)’s South Asia news page covers events in Afghanistan and the surrounding region.
The BBC World Service provides news pages translated into Pushto and Persian.
EurasiaNet provides information and analysis about political, economic, environmental and social developments in the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus, as well as in Russia, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia.
NewsNow has a dedicated Afghanistan page that monitors breaking news stories about the country from sources around the world.
Reuters AlertNet is a humanitarian news network that aims to keep relief professionals and the wider public up-to-date on humanitarian crises around the globe.
Non- Governmental Organisations
The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) is an independent research institution that conducts and facilitates research and analysis to inform policy, improve practice and increase the impact of humanitarian and development programmes in Afghanistan.
Amnesty International (AI) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. Amnesty International’s collected information on Afghanistan can be accessed from its library pages.
The British and Irish Agencies Afghanistan Group (BAAG) is an umbrella group of British and Irish agencies who work or support development activities in Afghanistan. It provides regular information on the political, economic and security situation in Afghanistan.
The European Country of Origin Information Network (ecoi.net) collects country resources focused on the needs of asylum lawyers, counsels and persons deciding claims for asylum and other forms of international protection. It focuses on the countries of origin of asylum applicants in Europe.
Human Rights Watch is a US based NGO which seeks to protect human rights, prevent discrimination, uphold political freedom, protect people from inhuman conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. Human Rights Watch’s Afghanistan page contains analyses of the human rights situation in the country.
The Institute for War and Peace Reporting is an international network for media development supporting training and capacity building programmes for local journalism in more than two dozen countries. Its Afghan Recovery Report is published weekly.
The International Crisis Group is an NGO that produces analytical reports on significant situations of conflict or potential conflict around the world and makes recommendations which aims to prevent and resolve deadly conflict and which are targeted at key international decision-takers. Its Afghanistan pages contain briefings and reports about security and other developments in the country.
Go to our
voluntary returns - advice section for further information about assisted and voluntary return programmes and contacting family members abroad.
Disclaimer: the Refugee Council is not responsible for the content of any external websites and does not endorse any view expressed in them. These links are offered as sources of background information only.
