The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Tuesday said the Japanese government had committed $1.5 million in additional financial assistance to Afghanistan.
According to the UNFPA, the funding will be directed toward improving maternal and reproductive health, as well as supporting children and youth in the provinces of Kandahar, Faryab, and Nangarhar.
The contribution comes as the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recently reported a critical need for additional funding to sustain humanitarian aid in Afghanistan, especially amid the harsh winter conditions.
UNFPA described the donation as arriving at a pivotal time, as Afghanistan continues to grapple with a protracted and deepening humanitarian crisis.
According to UNFPA’s report, the “2025 Afghanistan Humanitarian Response and Needs Plan” estimates that more than half of Afghanistan’s population requires humanitarian assistance, including nearly 17 million people in urgent need of health services.
The year-long project funded by Japan aims to ensure that approximately 60,000 women, girls, and children under the age of five receive life-saving care. This includes reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health services, as well as psychosocial support.
The UNFPA emphasized that this financial aid reaffirms a collective commitment to safeguarding Afghan women and girls at a time when they face unprecedented challenges.
“This support underscores our unwavering commitment to the health, dignity, and well-being of the people of Afghanistan,” said Kwabena Asante-Ntiamoah, UNFPA’s representative in Afghanistan.
