UN Warns of Escalating Housing Crisis in Afghanistan Ahead of Global Urban Forum

As Afghanistan grapples with intensifying housing pressures, the UN-Habitat has warned that the country’s growing shelter crisis will be a central topic at the upcoming World Urban Forum, set to take place in Baku later this month.

According to UN-Habitat, more than five million migrants have returned to Afghanistan since 2023, placing immense strain on an already fragile housing sector. This large-scale return has accelerated the expansion of informal settlements, particularly in major urban centers where infrastructure and public services are already overstretched.

In the capital, Kabul, the situation is especially severe. An estimated 80 percent of residents now live in informal or unplanned areas, often without reliable access to essential services such as clean water, sanitation systems, and electricity. These conditions not only reflect the scale of the housing deficit but also raise serious public health and safety concerns.

UN-Habitat emphasized that the influx of returnees has compounded pre-existing challenges, further limiting access to adequate and affordable housing. The pressure on urban infrastructure much of it already weakened by decades of conflict, underinvestment, and rapid population growth has reached critical levels.

Afghanistan’s housing sector has long been undermined by years of war, economic instability, and limited development funding. As a result, millions of people, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas, continue to live in overcrowded, substandard, or unsafe shelters. Vulnerable groups, including internally displaced persons and returnees, are among the hardest hit.

Humanitarian organizations estimate that approximately four million people across Afghanistan will require emergency shelter assistance this year alone. This highlights the urgency of the crisis, especially as population movements both internal displacement and cross-border returns continue at a significant pace.

The World Urban Forum, scheduled from May 17 to 22, is expected to convene global policymakers, urban planners, and development actors to address pressing urban challenges worldwide. Afghanistan’s deteriorating housing situation is likely to feature prominently in discussions, particularly in relation to sustainable urban development and crisis response.

UN-Habitat stressed that addressing the rapid growth of informal settlements, improving land management, and expanding access to basic urban services will be critical steps toward improving living conditions. Without sustained international support and coordinated national efforts, the agency warned, the housing crisis could further undermine social stability and long-term recovery in Afghanistan.

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