European Union and UNESCO launch a new initiative to strengthen literacy and economic resilience in Afghanistan

Kabul, 2 December 2025 – The European Union (EU) announced the launch of a new partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for a total of EUR 4.7 million for economic empowerment through community-based skills development and literacy training in Afghanistan.

This initiative will provide essential community-based education and livelihood skills to 7,500 youth and adults, including members of both returnee and host communities, across five Provinces of Afghanistan. It will deliver integrated community-based literacy and vocational skills training, enabling enrolled learners to acquire foundational literacy and numeracy (equivalent to Grade 3) combined with practical livelihood skills that are aligned with local economic needs and opportunities. It responds to needs expressed by local communities and is based on operational approaches that are flexible, community-driven and aligned with principles of do-no-harm.

“The EU has decided to allocate a new significant financial allocation to support communities with concrete tools that contribute to livelihoods and local economic empowerment.” said Veronika Boskovic Pohar, Chargé d'Affaires, European Union. “By investing in learning and skills, we aim to help Afghan people and families building their well-being. We stand with people of Afghanistan"

Provided livelihood skills training will focus on locally relevant skills, such as tailoring, dairy production, poultry farming, and small-scale agriculture, which have shown continued importance in home-based income generation in targeted communities. The initiative reinforces UNESCO’s skills development and literacy interventions, which have reached more than 56,000 learners since 2023.

“Building on UNESCO’s long-standing work in literacy and livelihood skills training in Afghanistan, this initiative offers communities practical tools to address daily challenges.” said Patricia McPhillips, UNESCO Representative. “We are pleased to join efforts with the European Union to expand access to education and skills development opportunities that support self-reliance and contribute to community resilience and economic empowerment.”