Pakistan — Publications

ADSP: Expert Analysis: Water, climate, and refuge across Afghanistan and the sub-region

October 2024

For over 40 years, Iran and Pakistan have been home to Afghan refugees. Today both countries host over 90% of the world’s Afghan refugees and other migrants in refugee like situations (over 8 million people). The region of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran also ranks as high or very high among countries at risk to impacts of climate change – where water, as a resource, is especially scarce. Afghanistan and Pakistan rank low on the capacity to deal with the impacts of climate change, whilst Iran is ranked as an upper-middle country. Any durable solution for Afghan displacement in the region must integrate concerns related to climate change, and resources, including – and especially water.

This expert analysis draws from interviews conducted in Pakistan, expert opinions, media reports, policy reports, and secondary data and provides three country profiles for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. Focused on climate, water, and Afghan migration, each section provides pathways forward for durable solutions for displacement, climate change, and water, with an emphasis on regional cooperation.

Read full Expert Analysis here

Samuel HallOctober 1, 2024Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Refugees, expert analysis, climate change, Water scarcity, policy

Islamic Relief: The Added Value of Faith Actors in Localisation: Opportunities and Barriers in Humanitarian Action

July 2024

Are faith actors the missing link in effective localisation efforts?

The study commissioned by Islamic Relief Worldwide explores and analyses the unique contributions and challenges faced by faith actors (FAs) in humanitarian settings across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Palestine, and Mozambique.

Our findings reveal that contrary to common misconceptions, most faith actors are non-missionary, and their values align closely with humanitarian principles. They play a crucial role in providing mental health and psychosocial support, particularly in crisis situations, where they foster community solidarity and resilience. However, despite their potential, faith actors often face significant barriers, such as limited funding, structural challenges, and cultural misunderstandings that prevent their full engagement.

What the Report offers?

Beyond data and analysis, the report:
Debunks pervasive myths about faith actors
Highlights the common values shared between faith and secular actors, promoting a more unified approach to humanitarian action.
Through case studies, stories, and voices from the field, it brings to life the impactful work of faith actors in diverse contexts.
Moreover, it provides concrete recommendations for both local actors and humanitarian organisations on overcoming challenges and integrating faith actors into the localising agenda.

Read the executive summary here and the full report here.

ADSP: Solutions for Afghan nationals ordered to return from Pakistan

May 2024

Since 2022, Samuel Hall, has been working with Asia Displacement Solutions Platform (ADSP) to create a space for research and advocacy on durable solutions, building on existing data. The Asia Displacement Solutions Platform (ADSP) is a joint initiative of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) which works to contribute to the development of comprehensive solutions for displaced populations in Asia. The aim of this series of briefs is to focus on the sub-regional protection needs of Afghan refugees, inform and raise awareness on the specific needs of demographic groups.

This Briefing Note focuses on the state of returns of Afghan nationals from Pakistan in the last quarter of 2023. It presents data collected from a mission in Afghanistan, to Torkham and Jalalabad, in November 2023, protection monitoring data collected by DRC and the Protection Cluster, and additional data from organisations working closely on the issue.

Read full Briefing note here.

Samuel HallMay 14, 2024Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Refugees, DRC, IRC, ADSP

MIGNEX: Comparative Experiences of Transit Migration Management

June 2023

As part of the MIGNEX (Aligning Migration Management and the Migration–Development Nexus) consortium, Samuel Hall contributed to a background paper on ‘Comparative experiences of transit migration management’.

The text engages critically with the concept of transit migration and identifies key patterns of transit migration management at global, regional and country level. Through comparative analysis it examines the transit migration routes and policies of four countries: Turkey, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Pakistan.

According to Samuel Hall’s findings, transit migrants face a number of challenges, including exploitation, violence, detention, and lack of access to basic services.

As a way forward the background paper invites more research into discerning the impact of transit migration management on individual countries, on state and non-state actors, and on migrants themselves along migration routes.

Devising policy suggestions that will lead to a fairer distribution of responsibility to address protection needs in so-called ‘transit countries’ is also crucial.

Download Here

Samuel HallJune 29, 2023Europe, transit migration, Turkey, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Migration management, policy

IOM: Health and Reintegration - Returning to Space but not to Time: A Life Course Approach to Migrants’ Health, Continuity of Care and Impact on Reintegration Outcomes

January 2023

Samuel Hall in partnership with EU- IOM Knowledge Management Hub and the African Centre for Migration and Society at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa funded by the European Union conducted a study to explore the links between health needs, access to care and sustainable reintegration of returnees. The study followed a mixed methods approach, conducted between March and July 2022, in six selected countries (Brazil, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Georgia, Pakistan and Senegal).

There is an urgent need to build a continuum of care across different stages of the migration cycle while also funding gender specific initiatives on return and reintegration. The full report provides an analysis of the health needs of returnees and its impact on reintegration outcomes and further recommendations based on the mixed methods study.

Download Executive Summary Here

Download Full Report Here

Listen to the ‘Approaching health for returnees with an "integrated care" model’ episode on the Exploring Migrant Reintegration Podcast

Samuel HallJanuary 20, 2023Migration, Brazil, Ethiopia, The gambia, Georgia, Pakistan, Senegal, Health, Reintegration

UNESCO - Inclusion of Afghan Refugees in the National Education Systems of Iran and Pakistan

November 2018

This paper was commissioned by the Global Education Monitoring Report as background information to assist in drafting the 2019 GEM Report, Migration, displacement and education: Building bridges, not walls, accessible here.

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DRC - AfPak Labour Market Assessment

September 2013

Samuel Hall researchers aimed to assist DRC in planning for its livelihoods programming by answering the following key research question: ‘What are the segments of the Afghan urban labour market with the biggest labour supply gaps and future opportunities for displaced populations?’

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