Italy Donates €1 Million to Support Women and Youth Livelihoods in Afghanistan

Italy has donated one million euros to support women and youth livelihoods in Afghanistan, aiming to expand legal income opportunities amid widespread unemployment and deepening poverty.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) announced on Tuesday, January 13 that Italy has contributed one million euros to support Afghanistan women and youth in accessing legal and sustainable sources of income.

UNODC said the funding will cover nearly 7,000 women and young people in the provinces of Herat and Nangarhar, under the second phase of a project aimed at improving livelihoods through lawful economic opportunities.

The Italian government has approved financing for the second phase of the project, titled “Improving the Living Conditions of Afghan Women and Youth through Legal Income Opportunities.” The initiative seeks to reduce vulnerability and economic dependence among women-led households.

Launched in December 2024, the project has already supported more than 1,500 vulnerable families, mostly headed by women across 93 villages in Herat and Nangarhar, helping them secure stable and legal income.

A key goal of the program is to prevent communities from returning to poppy cultivation as a survival strategy. The second phase focuses on saffron farming in Herat and rose cultivation in Nangarhar, both considered viable alternatives to illicit crops.

UNODC said the expanded phase is expected to improve the economic situation of around 6,800 women and youth, strengthening resilience in communities hit hard by unemployment and poverty.

According to UN reports, nearly 70 percent of Afghanistan’s population is unemployed, while about 90 percent live below the poverty line, leaving women and young people among the most economically marginalized groups.

UN agencies warn that sustained international support remains critical, as Afghanistan faces a deepening humanitarian crisis. Without continued investment in legal livelihoods, vulnerable families risk falling back into poverty, displacement, and illicit economies.

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