Kabul, Sep 2026
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says 11,942 requests, enquiries, suggestions and complaints were lodged in Afghanistan during the second quarter of 2026 through its complaints and feedback mechanism. The submissions came from refugees, internally displaced people, returnees and members of host communities. According to UNHCR Afghanistan’s latest report, the total was 13.5 per cent higher than the 10,525 cases recorded in the first quarter. Covering April to June 2026, the report examines how people access the mechanism, who uses it, the types of requests received and how cases are addressed.
How Does the Complaints and Feedback System Work?
UNHCR Afghanistan uses several communication channels to receive feedback, enquiries and complaints directly from vulnerable people. Information is recorded and managed through a central online Feedback and Response System (FRS). The system helps UNHCR and its partners maintain an up-to-date picture of protection risks and needs, while assessing the effectiveness of assistance programs and proposed solutions. Available channels include:
- 32 complaints boxes
- Help desks at cash-assistance distribution centres
- 140 community outreach volunteers and focal points
- Community-based protection monitoring
- Multi-sector household-needs assessments
- The inter-agency Awaaz humanitarian call centre
- Three dedicated telephone hotlines
- A dedicated email address for complaints and feedback
UNHCR says these channels are available across the country, allowing people to seek information or assistance, provide feedback and lodge complaints.
Requests Increase by 13.5 Per Cent
A total of 11,942 requests and feedback submissions were recorded in the second quarter, up from 10,525 in the first quarter—an increase of 13.5 per cent. UNHCR said the rise did not appear to be linked to any single event during the reporting period. Greater use of community communication channels, wider promotion of the system, and the work of community outreach volunteers and protection monitors may all have contributed. Continued returns from Iran and Pakistan have also generated additional needs and increased contact between returnee communities, UNHCR and its partners.
UNHCR says the rise does not appear to stem from any single incident or specific development during the reporting period. According to the agency, greater use of existing community communication channels, wider dissemination of information about the complaints and feedback system, and the work of community‑engagement volunteers and community‑based protection monitors may have contributed to the increase in submissions.
Women and Girls Account for a Growing Share of Users
One notable change was the increased participation of women and girls. They lodged 35 per cent of submissions in the second quarter of 2026, up from 19 per cent in the first—an increase of 16 percentage points. UNHCR partly attributed the rise to expanded awareness activities and direct community outreach. However, barriers to women’s independent access remain. Since November 2025, SIM cards have not been distributed to female-headed households at the Kandahar reception centre unless they are accompanied by a male family member aged over 18. UNHCR said this may restrict some women’s direct access to telephone feedback lines. The increased participation therefore appears to reflect improved access through alternative community-based channels, rather than the removal of all barriers.
However, the agency stresses that barriers to women’s independent access to certain communication channels still persist. For example, since November 2025, the distribution of SIM cards to female‑headed households at the Kandahar reception centre has been halted unless a male family member over the age of 18 accompanies them. According to UNHCR, this situation may limit some women’s direct access to the phone lines used for the complaints and feedback mechanism.
Men Aged 25–59 Were the Largest User Group
Among cases with demographic information, men aged 25–59 were the largest group using the complaints and feedback mechanism, accounting for 58 per cent of submissions. Women aged 25–59 followed at 30 per cent, while girls aged 0–17 represented just 1 per cent—the lowest share of any recorded demographic group. The proportion of men aged 25–59 fell sharply from 78 per cent in the first quarter to 58 per cent in the second, while the share of women aged 25–59 rose from 18 per cent to 30 per cent.
Email Remains the Primary Contact Channel
Email remained the most widely used channel for contacting UNHCR in the second quarter of 2026, accounting for 47 per cent of submissions. It was followed by:
After emails:
- Telephone hotlines: 26 per cent
- Community outreach volunteers: 12 per cent
- Protection help desks: 6 per cent
Women accounted for 21 per cent of telephone users, 40 per cent of people contacting community outreach volunteers and 15 per cent of those approaching protection help desks. Compared with the first quarter, email use fell from 58 per cent to 47 per cent, while the use of community outreach volunteers rose from 1 per cent to 12 per cent. UNHCR said the shift indicates greater reliance on direct, community-based communication.
Among the phone calls received, 21 percent of users were women. Women also accounted for 40 percent of those engaging with community‑engagement volunteers and 15 percent of visitors to protection help desks. Compared with the first quarter, the share of email communication dropped from 58 percent to 47 percent, while the use of community‑engagement volunteers rose from 1 percent to 12 percent. UNHCR views this shift as an indication of increased reliance on direct, community‑based communication methods.
Returnees Were the Largest Group of Users
Of the 6,368 cases with analysable demographic information, returnees formed the largest group using the complaints and feedback mechanism. Users were distributed as follows:
The percentage of users is as follows:
- Returnees: 78 per cent
- Members of host communities: 12 per cent
- Internally displaced people: 7 per cent
Returnees remained the largest user group, although their share fell from 94 per cent in the first quarter to 78 per cent in the second. Over the same period, the share of host-community members rose from 4 per cent to 12 per cent, while internally displaced people increased from 2 per cent to 7 per cent. UNHCR said the change may reflect greater awareness among different population groups that they can use the mechanism.
Most Submissions Sought Assistance
Of the 6,368 cases with demographic information, most concerned requests for intervention or assistance. These primarily involved specific needs, multipurpose cash assistance and return-related cash assistance, together accounting for 84 per cent of all submissions recorded in the Feedback and Response System. Requests for information represented 7 per cent. In addition:
Also:
- 2.9 per cent provided feedback on UNHCR services;
- about 3 per cent of submissions were complaints.
Complaints mainly concerned delays in receiving assistance or assessments, as well as allegations of fraud.
Rising Returns Increase Demand for Support Services
The report comes as Afghan citizens continue to return from neighbouring countries. Returnees were the largest users of the feedback mechanism, accounting for 78 per cent of cases with demographic information. UNHCR said continuing returns from Iran and Pakistan are creating substantial needs within returnee communities, including access to humanitarian assistance, information, support services and referrals. Overall, the findings show that direct community-engagement mechanisms—particularly outreach volunteers and other local channels—play an important role in identifying the needs and concerns of vulnerable people in Afghanistan.
Source: UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Afghanistan — Complaints and Feedback Mechanism Report, April–June 2026, published September 2026.
