Research Article

VOICES OF THE DISPLACED: IDENTIFYING LASTING SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES OF IDPS IN AFGHANISTAN

Volume: 3 Number: 2 December 31, 2025
  • Ali Wardak *
  • Kate Williams
  • Palash Kamruzzaman
  • Yaseen Ayobi
TR EN

VOICES OF THE DISPLACED: IDENTIFYING LASTING SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES OF IDPS IN AFGHANISTAN

Abstract

This paper explores potential lasting solutions to the crisis of internal displacement in Afghanistan as identified by Internally Displace People (IDPs) in the country. The arguments are based on interviews with IDPs, Afghanistan’s government officials as well as local and international humanitarian aid providers. Empirical findings indicates that while war had been the main cause of internal displacement in Afghanistan, drought, natural disasters, and a lack of income-generating opportunities also contributed to this complex problem. This situation has caused loss of dignity, poverty and suffering among IDPs across the country. Although various phases of the long Afghan war had caused internal displacement over the past four and a half decades, failure to find lasting solutions to displacement contributed to continued displacement, suffering and to war. We argue that local and international responses to the IDPs problem in Afghanistan have been inadequate, uncoordinated, focused on ‘short-termism’, and have lacked a long-term vision. We conclude that lasting solutions to the crisis require a combination of sustainable peace, inclusive state institutions, strong political will from the international community and from Afghanistan’s ruling authorities as well as targeted development aid. Such efforts must support the dignified return of IDPs and their reintegration into their places of origin, or their permanent settlement in the communities where they currently live.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

We would also like to thank the British Academy for their support in funding this project (Ref: SDP2\100384).

Thanks

The authors would like to thank the participants in Afghanistan for their time and invaluable insights.We would also like to thank Cansu Türkmen, Assistant Editor of BLR, for her valuable contributions to the editorial process and coordination of this publication.

References

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  2. Aljazeera, ‘The Opposite Way of Migration in Afghanistan: From Cities to Rural Villages’ (YouTube, 2022) accessed 12 November 2025
  3. Aljazeera, ‘Who will save Afghans from hunger?’ (Aljazeera, 17 December 2025) accessed 20 December 2025
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  5. Barfield T, Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History (Princeton University Press 2010)
  6. Bhutta ZA, ‘Children of War: The Real Casualties of the Afghan Conflict’ (2002) 324(7333) BMJ (Clinical Research Edition) 349
  7. Beath A, Christia F, Enikolopov R and Kabuli SA, Randomized Impact Evaluation of Phase II of Afghanistan’s National Solidarity Programme (NSP): Estimates of Interim Program Impact from First Follow-up Survey (2010) accessed 12 November 2025
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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Migration, Asylum and Refugee Law

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Ali Wardak *
United Kingdom

Kate Williams This is me
United Kingdom

Palash Kamruzzaman This is me
United Kingdom

Yaseen Ayobi This is me
Australia

Publication Date

December 31, 2025

Submission Date

November 6, 2025

Acceptance Date

December 28, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 3 Number: 2

APA
Wardak, A., Williams, K., Kamruzzaman, P., & Ayobi, Y. (2025). VOICES OF THE DISPLACED: IDENTIFYING LASTING SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES OF IDPS IN AFGHANISTAN. The Boğaziçi Law Review, 3(2), 212-237. https://doi.org/10.69800/blr.1818983
AMA
1.Wardak A, Williams K, Kamruzzaman P, Ayobi Y. VOICES OF THE DISPLACED: IDENTIFYING LASTING SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES OF IDPS IN AFGHANISTAN. BLR. 2025;3(2):212-237. doi:10.69800/blr.1818983
Chicago
Wardak, Ali, Kate Williams, Palash Kamruzzaman, and Yaseen Ayobi. 2025. “VOICES OF THE DISPLACED: IDENTIFYING LASTING SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES OF IDPS IN AFGHANISTAN”. The Boğaziçi Law Review 3 (2): 212-37. https://doi.org/10.69800/blr.1818983.
EndNote
Wardak A, Williams K, Kamruzzaman P, Ayobi Y (December 1, 2025) VOICES OF THE DISPLACED: IDENTIFYING LASTING SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES OF IDPS IN AFGHANISTAN. The Boğaziçi Law Review 3 2 212–237.
IEEE
[1]A. Wardak, K. Williams, P. Kamruzzaman, and Y. Ayobi, “VOICES OF THE DISPLACED: IDENTIFYING LASTING SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES OF IDPS IN AFGHANISTAN”, BLR, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 212–237, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.69800/blr.1818983.
ISNAD
Wardak, Ali - Williams, Kate - Kamruzzaman, Palash - Ayobi, Yaseen. “VOICES OF THE DISPLACED: IDENTIFYING LASTING SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES OF IDPS IN AFGHANISTAN”. The Boğaziçi Law Review 3/2 (December 1, 2025): 212-237. https://doi.org/10.69800/blr.1818983.
JAMA
1.Wardak A, Williams K, Kamruzzaman P, Ayobi Y. VOICES OF THE DISPLACED: IDENTIFYING LASTING SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES OF IDPS IN AFGHANISTAN. BLR. 2025;3:212–237.
MLA
Wardak, Ali, et al. “VOICES OF THE DISPLACED: IDENTIFYING LASTING SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES OF IDPS IN AFGHANISTAN”. The Boğaziçi Law Review, vol. 3, no. 2, Dec. 2025, pp. 212-37, doi:10.69800/blr.1818983.
Vancouver
1.Ali Wardak, Kate Williams, Palash Kamruzzaman, Yaseen Ayobi. VOICES OF THE DISPLACED: IDENTIFYING LASTING SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES OF IDPS IN AFGHANISTAN. BLR. 2025 Dec. 1;3(2):212-37. doi:10.69800/blr.1818983