The European Union has announced the launch of the second phase of its Afghan Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme, committing €10 million to support women’s livelihoods in Afghanistan.
In a statement released on Thursday, the EU said it had signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme to implement the programme’s second phase in cooperation with local partners. The EU said the new phase builds on the results and lessons of the initial stage.
The programme will support Afghan women across different stages of economic activity, including the establishment and expansion of small businesses, as well as access to financial and technical services adapted to Afghanistan’s social and economic context.
According to the statement, the initiative aims to remove barriers to women’s participation in the economy, improve access for women entrepreneurs to financial resources and markets, and strengthen income-generating skills.
The EU said the programme will promote “culturally appropriate and Sharia-compliant financial mechanisms,” alongside business development support, mentorship and market linkages.
The project will be implemented mainly in underserved provinces in central Afghanistan, where the EU says women’s participation in the labour force remains low and access to financial services is limited.
