Emergency Protection Assistance for Vulnerable Returning Undocumented Afghans and Conflict-affected internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Afghanistan Undocumented Afghan migrants are at risk of exploitation and abuse during and after return, including trafficking, gender-based violence, and family separation. IOM Protection programme support at risk undocumented returnees to return and reintegrate in safety and dignity through the provision of tailored assistance at border points and in provinces of return. Additionally, in light of the marked deterioration of security in Afghanistan, according to UNOCHA as of October over 677,000 individuals had been internally displaced in 2021. IOM will integrate the most vulnerable IDPs within its case management and protection monitoring response to mitigate protection risks and support integration in host communities or IDP settlements. Interventions will include:
 Protection screeners at Islam Qala (Herat) and border point will screen undocumented returnees and identify Persons with Specific Needs (PSN) – including women/children at risk, serious medical cases and persons with disabilities – who returned in need of protection post-arrival assistance. Such assistance will be delivered by Protection Monitoring and Case Management Workers in Herat and Nimroz transit centres, including the provision of information, referrals, and assistance including family tracing, emergency accommodation, and safe transportation by flight to returnees’ chosen final destination. 
 Safe and dignified reintegration is supported in 11 provinces (Badakhshan, Balkh, Faryab, Ghor. Herat, Kabul, Kandahar, Nangahar, Nimroz, Sar-E-Pul, Takhar (second-level will vary)) through protection case management for undocumented returnee and IDP households which include PSN in their household. Following in-depth case assessments, households are supported through dissemination of key protection information, referral to local services, and one-off assistance such as cash for protection to meet immediate needs and mitigate protection risks, including risks of resorting to negative coping mechanisms such as begging, child labour/marriage. 
 Regular protection monitoring (household surveys, key informant interviews and direct observations) is undertaken in coordination with the Afghanistan Protection Cluster to understand the protection environment for undocumented returnees. Monitoring takes place across all locations to track protection trends, monitor human rights violations, and support analysis to inform evidence-based advocacy for effective protection and wider humanitarian response across Afghanistan.

This programme will target a total of 15,512 persons. This includes a total of 10,745 individuals reach with case management assistance, an overlapping 2,464 persons receiving post-arrival assistance at border points and 2,553 persons engaged in protection monitoring (2,220 persons overlapping with case management and 333 unique beneficiaries).

Note: the 2,464 persons receiving post arrival assistance are fully counted as overlapping with the case management caseload. In reality the overlap will not be 100% but this will only be known during reporting.