KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The European Union (EU) says it will continue investing in Afghanistan’s education sector, working with multiple organizations to ensure all children have access to quality and inclusive education.
In a statement on X on International Education Day, the EU delegation in Afghanistan announced a series of funding initiatives to be implemented by multiple organizations across the country.
The delegation said it is contributing €25 million through UNICEF to maintain safe and supportive learning environments in public schools. It has also provided €20 million to the World Food Programme for school feeding programs aimed at keeping children in school, improving nutrition, and supporting families.
Additionally, the EU has allocated €6 million to Save the Children to expand access to safe, gender-responsive education for vulnerable groups, including out-of-school children, girls, and children with disabilities. €4.7 million has been contributed to UNESCO to deliver literacy and vocational training to 7,500 adults and youth in five provinces.
The EU mission said these initiatives, including parental education programs, aim to support the holistic development of the next generation.
The funding comes as the Taliban continues to bar women and girls from secondary and higher education. According to the UN, more than 2.2 million adolescent girls remain excluded from secondary school, and thousands of women are barred from higher education.
Restrictions on education have also taken a toll on mental health. UN Women reported in 2023 that nearly 70% of women and girls in Taliban-controlled areas struggle with anxiety, isolation, and depression.
Despite repeated appeals from the United Nations, aid agencies, rights groups, and some Islamic countries, the Taliban has refused to lift the ban, citing it as an internal matter.
