EU launches new investment to boost Afghan women’s economic participation

DID Press: EU has announced a new €10 million allocation for the second phase of a programme aimed at supporting the economic empowerment of women in Afghanistan.

In a statement, the EU delegation to Afghanistan said the funding would be used to launch the next phase of the “Economic Empowerment of Women through Local Enterprise Development” programme.

The delegation said the investment forms part of the EU’s ongoing commitment to supporting livelihoods and strengthening the economic role of Afghan women.

According to the statement, the second phase builds on lessons learned from the initial phase as well as area-based emergency development initiatives. It will support women engaged in a wide range of economic activities, from informal savings groups to small and medium-sized enterprises.

The EU said the programme will be implemented through the provision of financial and non-financial services tailored to Afghanistan’s social and economic conditions, with the primary aim of reducing barriers that limit women’s economic participation, including restricted access to finance, markets, professional skills and sustainable income opportunities.