Post-Return Monitoring Survey 2023
Afghanistan, 2024
Get MicrodataIdentification
AFG_2023_PRMS_v01_M
Post-Return Monitoring Survey 2023
PRMS 2023
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | AFG |
Sample Frame, Households [sf/hh]
The Post-Return Monitoring (PRM) Survey 2023 was implemented to assess the well-being and reintegration of Afghan refugee returnees from Pakistan.UNHCR and Samuel Hall conducted 4,220 household-level telephone interviews across 31 provinces and 181 districts in Afghanistan. The survey covered both Voluntary Repatriation Form (VRF) holders (1,552 households) and non-VRF returnees (2,668 households) who returned between 15 September and 31 December 2023. A total of 3,682 interviews were completed in 10 priority districts located in seven provinces (Nangarhar, Kabul, Kandahar, Kunduz, Helmand, Balkh, and Laghman), which together received approximately 80 percent of returnees. The achieved sample represents 29 percent of all refugee households that returned and were assisted during this period. Data were collected on key sectors including basic needs, protection, health, education, food security, shelter, WASH, livelihoods, income generation, mental health, and connectivity. The findings contribute to UNHCR’s protection monitoring and program planning, and support evidence-based responses for sustainable reintegration and solutions.
Household
Version
Version 2.1: Edited, cleaned, and anonymised data.
2025-08-05
Scope
The scope includes:
- Demographic and return profile of Afghan refugee returnees
- Protection concerns and coping mechanisms
- Access to basic services (education, healthcare, shelter, water and sanitation)
- Livelihoods and income generation
- Food security and basic needs
- Community engagement and social cohesion
- Mental health and psychosocial support
- Connectivity and access to information
- Reintegration challenges and local solutions
| Topic |
|---|
| Health |
| Water Sanitation Hygiene |
| Food security |
| Emergency Shelter and NFI |
| Education |
| Livelihood and Social cohesion |
| Mental Health and Psychosocial Support |
| Connectivity |
| Return |
| Basic Needs |
| Cash Assistance |
| Solutions |
Coverage
Afghanistan
All Afghan refugee returnee households from Pakistan who returned between 15 September and 31 December 2023.
Producers and sponsors
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) | UN |
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Samuel Hall | UNHCR |
Sampling
A stratified disproportional sampling design was used to ensure representative results for 10 prioritized districts that received the largest numbers of returnees. The remaining districts were merged into a single domain. The sample covered both VRF and non-VRF returnees. A confidence level of 95% and a 5% margin of error were used for determining sample size. Due to higher non-response in smaller districts, the margin of error may be larger at district level, but remained below 5% nationally.
Post-stratification weights were applied to align the sample distribution with the national distribution of returnee households, ensuring representative national estimates.
Survey instrument
The questionnaire covered topics including demographics, protection concerns, access to services (health, education, WASH), livelihoods, coping mechanisms, and reintegration challenges. It was administered in local languages via phone interviews.
Data collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2024-07-15 | 2024-09-01 |
- Computer Assisted Telephone Interview [cati]
| Name | Affiliation | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
| United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees | UNHCR | |
| Samuel Hall | UNHCR |
4,220 household interviews were conducted by telephone with VRF and non-VRF returnees across 31 provinces, including 10 priority districts receiving the majority of returnees.
Data Access
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (2025). Afghanistan: Post-Return Monitoring Survey 2023. Accessed from: https://microdata.unhcr.org
Contacts
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Curation team | UNHCR | dencomdl@unhcr.org |
Metadata production
DDI_AFG_2023_PRMS_v01_M
| Name | Abbreviation | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| UN Refugee Agency | UNHCR | UN | |
| Development Data Group | DECDG | World Bank Group | Metadata adapted for World Bank Microdata Library |
2025-09-01
Metadata version
Identical to a metadata (UNHCR_AFG_2023_PRM) published on UNHCR catalog (https://microdata.unhcr.org/index.php/home). Some of the metadata fields have been edited.