Adroit Associates was commissioned by the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) to undertake a comprehensive study of the return and reintegration experiences of Afghan returnees. The assignment was designed to address critical evidence gaps surrounding return migration, reintegration, future mobility intentions, and the socioeconomic factors influencing returnees' ability to rebuild their lives in Afghanistan.
Aligned with MMC's 4Mi methodology, the study combines quantitative and qualitative research to examine returnees' experiences across different stages of migration, from their initial migration and return journeys to reintegration and future plans. Particular attention is given to livelihoods, access to services, community integration, and the experiences of diverse returnee profiles.
The research covers returnees associated with Kabul, Nangarhar, Herat, Kandahar, and Balkh, representing important return, settlement, and reintegration locations. Evidence generated through the assignment is intended to strengthen data-driven programming and support more responsive approaches to sustainable reintegration.
Afghanistan has experienced significant return movements from neighboring and regional countries, creating a growing need for reliable evidence on how returnees rebuild livelihoods, reconnect with communities, access services, and plan for their futures.
Returnees represent diverse profiles and experiences. Their circumstances vary according to factors such as country of return, type of return, length of time since return, gender, age, socioeconomic background, and access to livelihood opportunities and services.
The assignment therefore examines return and reintegration as a multi-dimensional process rather than a single event. The analytical framework covers four principal phases: the initial migration journey, the return journey, reintegration after arrival, and future plans.
Economic, social, and psychosocial dimensions of reintegration are considered alongside access to employment, training, public services, community networks, and available support mechanisms. The study also considers the factors influencing potential re-migration.
By documenting these interconnected dimensions, the research provides a structured evidence base for understanding how different returnee groups experience reintegration and where programming can better support sustainable outcomes.
Project Objectives
The primary objective of the assignment is to establish an evidence base that can inform programming and policy concerning Afghan returnees.
The research seeks to address critical knowledge gaps by generating data on returnee profiles, reintegration experiences, socioeconomic barriers, coping mechanisms, and factors influencing future migration decisions.
A second objective is to analyze return and reintegration dynamics, including returnees’ experiences of assistance and services and the economic, social, and psychosocial dimensions that shape their ability to reintegrate.
The study also examines re-migration drivers and future intentions, enabling a better understanding of how employment opportunities, access to services, community integration, and other conditions influence decisions about remaining in Afghanistan or migrating again.
Another central objective is to support evidence-based decision-making by providing humanitarian organizations, policymakers, and other stakeholders with actionable research that can strengthen program design and reintegration strategies.
The assignment further seeks to generate context-sensitive insights from diverse returnee profiles, including women, youth, older people, and persons with disabilities, so that future programming can better reflect differing experiences and needs.
Methodological Approach
Adroit Associates applies a mixed-methods research design combining structured quantitative surveys with qualitative inquiry. The approach is aligned with MMC’s 4Mi methodology, supporting methodological consistency, comparability, and ethical data collection.
The quantitative component uses structured surveys to capture information on respondent demographics, socioeconomic conditions, access to services, migration experiences, reintegration, and future plans. Data is collected remotely using ODK Collect, enabling structured digital data capture and systematic quality control.
The qualitative component includes Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with relevant experts and community representatives. Semi-structured interviews provide contextual understanding of return migration, reintegration experiences, community dynamics, and factors shaping future decisions.
Sampling combines several approaches to capture diverse returnee profiles. Respondents are selected according to characteristics including country of return, time since return, type of return, and gender. Purposive and controlled snowball sampling complement existing respondent datasets and community networks to broaden representation.
The geographic framework covers Kabul, Nangarhar, Herat, Kandahar, and Balkh. Because the research methodology is remote, these locations represent the origins or reintegration locations of respondents rather than physical field sites visited by research teams.
Quality assurance is integrated throughout the research process through tool review, enumerator training, pilot testing, standardized interview procedures, remote interaction logs, digital data management, data cleaning, coding, triangulation, and systematic analysis.
Research Focus and Strategic Significance
The study provides a structured framework for examining reintegration across economic, social, psychosocial, and service-access dimensions, enabling differences between returnee profiles and geographic contexts to be understood more clearly.
The socioeconomic component examines employment opportunities, livelihoods, skills, access to services, and other factors affecting returnees’ capacity to establish sustainable living conditions after return.
The research also considers community dynamics and social reintegration, recognizing that sustainable reintegration depends not only on individual economic conditions but also on relationships with communities, access to local support mechanisms, and participation in social and economic life.
Analysis of future plans and potential re-migration provides another important dimension. Understanding the factors influencing future mobility can help organizations distinguish between immediate reintegration needs and longer-term structural challenges.
The study’s inclusion of women, youth, older people, and persons with disabilities strengthens its ability to identify differences in reintegration experiences across population groups and support more inclusive programming.
By combining standardized quantitative evidence with contextual qualitative insights, the assignment is designed to provide MMC with actionable findings that can strengthen reintegration programming, inform policy discussions, improve targeting, and contribute to a deeper understanding of return migration dynamics in Afghanistan.