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KABUL — The European Union has announced a fresh €10 million contribution to UNICEF to protect Afghan children caught in the surge of mass returns from neighboring countries. The funding marks the launch of Phase Three of the Afghan Children on the Move program, raising the EU’s total investment in child protection to €38 million since 2018.
The initiative will focus on safeguarding unaccompanied and separated children at key border points including Torkham, Spin Boldak, Milak, and Islam-Qala, while also supporting long-term reintegration across 12 provinces. Through education, healthcare, nutrition, vocational training, and livelihood opportunities, the program aims to help more than 180,000 children and their families rebuild their lives.
Officials warn that the wave of forced and voluntary returns from Pakistan and Iran has stretched Afghanistan’s fragile child protection system to breaking point. Children traveling alone face grave risks of violence, trafficking, and neglect. UNICEF’s Afghanistan Representative, Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, said the EU’s renewed support comes at a crucial time, noting that more than two million Afghans — including half a million children — have returned in 2025 alone. “Every child has the right to be safe, cared for, and given a chance to thrive,” he said.
Eric Beaume, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Afghanistan, stressed that the EU’s support reflects its wider commitment to addressing migration and forced displacement. The partnership, he said, not only offers immediate border assistance but also builds community-based solutions to reduce unsafe migration and give Afghan children a future within their own country.
The program has already had a significant impact. In 2024 alone, nearly 14,000 unaccompanied children returning from Iran and Pakistan received assistance, with over 9,000 supported directly through the EU–UNICEF partnership.
This renewed commitment positions the EU–UNICEF initiative as one of the most vital child protection lifelines in Afghanistan today.
