KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Australia has pledged $5 million in humanitarian aid to provide critical health services for women and girls in Afghanistan amid a deepening humanitarian crisis in the country.
In a statement released Friday, the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the funding will enable UN agencies to deliver essential services addressing sexual and reproductive health needs, gender-based violence, and displacement.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia remained committed to supporting Afghan women and girls, who, she noted, “have shown incredible courage in the face of the Taliban’s systematic human rights violations and abuses.”
Pat Conroy, Australia’s Minister for International Development, highlighted that supporting women and girls during humanitarian crises is a core element of Australia’s aid policy.
“We know the situation under the Taliban is particularly egregious, and we are proud to be supporting the provision of critical health services to Afghan women and girls,” he said.
The pledge comes as Afghanistan experiences one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. More than half the population relies on aid, with women and girls particularly affected by both the humanitarian situation and the Taliban’s restrictive policies.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that 3.5 million children under five and 1.5 million pregnant and breastfeeding women in Afghanistan are at risk of acute malnutrition.
Despite growing needs, international support has dwindled. The UN’s $3.06 billion appeal for Afghanistan in 2024 has received less than 40% of the required funds, while the 2025 appeal, seeking $2.42 billion, has so far received only 13.3% of the required funds.
Humanitarian groups operating in the country have warned that international funding cuts—particularly the recent suspension of US aid—have already led to the closure of dozens of essential programs, with many more at risk. Health services, in particular, have been severely impacted.
