Return and reintegration to Afghanistan: Policy implications

Return and reintegration can be at odds with the practice of mobility in Afghanistan. Return and reintegration is often built on a sedentary assumption, understood as a one-way process that leads to people being anchored (Natta, 2014) back in their homes. This represents a narrow view of Afghan mobility, which is in reality built on decades of crossborder, regional and international migration to “seek safety, jobs and more” (Majidi et al., 2016). Migration has been a key, and essential, coping mechanism for Afghans. As a result, return migration programmes can either be aligned with the mobility patterns of Afghans or have a potential to create disorder (Majidi, 2016a). This requires a critical analysis of return and reintegration initiatives to date in Afghanistan, and of policy implications for the future.