In response to the concerns and demands expressed by MEPs—who are alarmed by the scale of the humanitarian and economic crisis as well as at the increasing violations of women’s and girls’ rights in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan—the European Commission affirmed on Tuesday, 17 May, that it is determined to continue to support the Afghan people by combining humanitarian aid, for women and girls in particular, with medium- and long-term development aid.
Speaking to the European Parliament’s Committee on Development, European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič stressed that this is “one of the worst humanitarian crises”.
There are currently 24 million people in need of humanitarian aid. Emergency levels of food insecurity affect 50% of the population. Nearly 7 million people are facing acute food insecurity. “This is the highest number of food-insecure people in any country of the world”, he stressed.
The EU is currently mobilising the €113 million in humanitarian aid—both in-country aid and aid for refugees in Iran and Pakistan—that was announced at the Afghanistan Pledging Conference held at the end of March (see EUROPE 12923/4). This aid focuses on food (more than 30% of funding); women and girls, including specialised health services for women and support for humanitarian partners to create safe spaces for women and girls; education in emergencies, which also focuses on women and girls; and support for local civil society.
“Our support also extends beyond food assistance to clean water, health, and nutrition”, specified the commissioner.
This is in addition to the in-kind assistance that has already been delivered by 16 humanitarian flights that have been able to transport 500 tonnes of emergency supplies to Kabul since August 2021, directly supporting the population.
“Humanitarian aid alone cannot be the only lasting solution to this crisis. More is needed”, felt Mr Lenarčič, emphasising the importance of structural support with regard to the economy, the banking sector, and the livelihood crisis.
Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen indicated that the European Commission had awarded contracts totalling €270 million to humanitarian partners to meet basic needs and ensure livelihoods. She also notably cited a contract with the UNDP to help 23,000 female entrepreneurs develop their businesses.
Following the Taliban’s decisions to ban girls from accessing secondary education and to require women to cover their faces in public, she announced, “the EU will only offer education support at the secondary level in places where girls are guaranteed access to it”.
To avoid penalising the whole population, she further stressed the importance of a “coordinated international response not just on the issue of women’s rights but also on long-term economic recovery to pave a way for the future [of] the country”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)