India, July 4 -- As returns of Afghan refugees and those living in refugee-like conditions from Iran and Pakistan increase - many forcibly - women and girls are arriving in a country where their rights, safety, and futures face severe threats, according to a new UN-led report.

Since September 2023, more than 2.43 million undocumented Afghan migrants have returned from Iran and Pakistan.

Women and girls account for about half of the returnees from Pakistan, while their share among those returning from Iran has been steadily rising, reaching around 30 per cent in June.

The escalating pace of returns is straining Afghanistan's overstretched humanitarian system, with women and girls bearing the brunt of the impact, reported the Gender in H...