Kabul, Afghanistan – UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, has received US$3 million in additional funding from the Government of Japan to deliver essential health and psychosocial support services for underserved and disaster-affected populations in remote areas of Afghanistan.
The funding is part of the overall $19.5 million Japan assistance to Afghanistan, covering both humanitarian and basic human needs. The new funding for UNFPA will be for the project, Enhancing Integrated Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition and Psychosocial Support Services for Underserved and Disaster-Affected Populations in Hard-to-Reach Areas of Afghanistan.
The project will be implemented through UNFPA’s flagship intervention in Afghanistan, the Family Health House (FHH), which is a midwifery-led, community-based health facility in remote areas where no other health facilities are available within a 10-km radius. Sixty FHHs will be supported to continue providing lifesaving maternal health care in the provinces of Daikundi, Faryab, Khost, Kunar, and Paktika.
Addressing critical health gaps
The project is a critical intervention designed to address the profound healthcare gaps in the country, with a core focus on providing a comprehensive package of integrated health services, which are vital for reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths and improving the long-term well-being of women, girls, and young people. The project also emphasizes psychosocial support services, recognizing the immense mental health toll of ongoing instability, conflict, and natural disasters on the Afghan population.
“This substantial contribution from the people of Japan will enable UNFPA to significantly expand its outreach to some of the most marginalized communities in Afghanistan,” said UNFPA Afghanistan Representative Kwabena Asante-Ntiamoah.
He added:
This partnership underscores the shared commitment between UNFPA and the Government of Japan to humanitarian action and resilience-building, ensuring that life-saving health services are delivered to those who need them most.
The assistance aims to reach 210,000 people, including women, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating mothers, and children under 5, across the five provinces covered. This includes internally displaced persons (IDPs), Afghan returnees from neighboring Pakistan and Iran, and underserved host communities in hard-to-reach or disaster-affected areas.
The project will also target at least 840 persons living with disabilities to ensure equitable access to essential health services.
In 2026, it is estimated that 21.9 million Afghans, or 45 per cent of the country’s population, will require humanitarian assistance. This includes 14.4 million people in need of health services.
Strong partnership with Japanese Government
The Government of Japan has long been and remains a steadfast partner of UNFPA in Afghanistan, demonstrating a consistent commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of the population. Since 2021, the support of the Government of Japan to UNFPA in Afghanistan has reached over 1.1 million people, mostly women and girls (77%), through a total of $5.1 million funding.
Their vital support is channelled toward addressing critical humanitarian needs, encompassing life-saving interventions for pregnant women and newborns, ensuring access to quality antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care, especially in hard-to-reach areas.
For more information, contact:
Arlene Alano, Communications Specialist: E-mail alano@unfpa.org