The European Union has pledged €10 million to UNICEF to support displaced children of Afghanistan, particularly those returning from neighboring countries. This marks the beginning of the third phase of the “Displaced Children of Afghanistan” initiative, bringing the EU’s total investment in the program since 2018 to €38 million.
According to the EU mission, the program will run for three years and focus on providing care and protection for unaccompanied and separated children at Afghanistan’s border crossings, long-term integration in 12 provinces through education, healthcare, nutrition, vocational training, and livelihood opportunities, as well as support for more than 180,000 children and their families. Assistance will include family tracing, reunification, temporary care, psychosocial support, and resilience-building.
The new commitment comes amid a massive wave of forced returns from Pakistan and Iran, which has placed unprecedented strain on child protection services in Afghanistan. Unaccompanied children are particularly vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and neglect. In response, immediate assistance at border crossings such as Islam Qala, Milak, Spin Boldak, and Torkham will be linked to longer-term community-based solutions to help families rebuild their lives and reduce the risks of unsafe migration.
Erik Bome, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation for Afghanistan, said the partnership aims to strengthen protections for displaced children, noting: “This contribution is part of the EU’s broader commitment to addressing migration and forced displacement by ensuring access to opportunities and essential services, especially for children and adolescents.”
Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s Representative in Afghanistan, welcomed the support, stressing its urgency: “This new phase of EU support comes at a critical time when more than two million Afghanistan citizens, including half a million children, have returned from neighboring countries this year. Every child deserves safety, care, and the opportunity to grow, regardless of their journey or circumstances.”
Since the initiative began in 2018, tens of thousands of Afghanistan’s children have gained access to essential services. Last year alone, nearly 14,000 unaccompanied and separated children returning from Iran and Pakistan received assistance, of whom 9,000 were directly supported through the EU-UNICEF partnership.
