Finland in Afghanistan

The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 and has ruled the country since then. Finland has temporarily closed its Embassy in Kabul. After the Taliban takeover, Finland discontinued its bilateral development cooperation with Afghanistan, because cooperation with the Taliban regime is not possible.

Group of girls are walking beside a road. Behind them is a pit with big machines. A new looking car is parked in front of the pit.
In the 21st century more girls attend schools than before. The aim is to safeguard the achievements and the continuity of development also in future, the conditions permitting.

In Afghanistan, Finland has placed particular emphasis on the promotion of the rights of women and girls. The aim is to safeguard the achievements and the continuity of development also in future if the situation allows it.

Finland discontinues the Country Programme with Afghanistan as of 2024. However, Finland will provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and support for addressing the basic needs of people, especially of women and girls, but with a significantly smaller amount of money than before. Finland provides support through the UN, other international organisations and civil society organisations. Funds are not channelled via the Taliban regime. The objective of Finland and the international community continues to be a stable and peaceful Afghanistan that respects human rights and upholds the principles of the rule of law.

Afghanistan is in the grip of a severe economic and humanitarian crisis. Even before the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan suffered from a humanitarian crisis caused by prolonged conflicts, poverty, natural disasters, drought-induced crop losses and the COVID-19 pandemic. Humanitarian assistance is essential, but it is not sufficient to meet people’s basic needs. Afghanistan’s human rights situation is also poor. In particular, the rights and social status of women and girls have deteriorated further, which is why the situation in Afghanistan is considered to be the world’s largest crisis for the rights of women and girls.

A great deal was achieved over the past 20 years with the support of Finland and the international community. The position of women and children in Afghanistan improved: both maternal and child mortality halved and millions of girls enrolled in school. Women became more active in society. The assistance helped millions of people to get access to healthcare, water supply and sanitation services. There was greater freedom of speech and the operating conditions of the private sector improved. The international community is struggling to maintain at least some of these improvements.

Finland's objectives in Afghanistan

Finland’s objective continues to be a stable Afghanistan, where people have the opportunity to lead a life of dignity and which respects human rights and the rule of law. Finland will continue to alleviate the distress of Afghans by providing humanitarian assistance and support for addressing people’s basic needs and by defending human rights, especially the rights of women and girls.

The human rights situation in Afghanistan is very alarming. Especially the rights and social status of women and girls give cause for concern. It is essential that the UN continue to monitor the human rights situation and that human rights organisations be able to operate in Afghanistan. Finland will continue to defend these matters in forums such as the UN Human Rights Council. 

Finland’s development cooperation in Afghanistan

Finland supports Afghans who are living in humanitarian crisis and need aid. After the Taliban takeover in August 2021, aid was adjusted to the new situation, and Finland has continued to provide support through the UN and other international organisations operating in Afghanistan, bypassing and not supporting the Taliban regime. In addition, Finland has continued to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. 

From 2024, Finland will reduce funding to Afghanistan and discontinue the Country Programme. However, Finland will continue to support especially the provision of sexual and reproductive health services for women and girls in Afghanistan, using for this purpose the country- and region-specific development cooperation appropriation administered by the regional department. In addition, Finland will channel humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan based on means testing and support civil society organisations’ projects and humanitarian mine action.

Finland considers it important that international operators continue their assistance and find ways to respond to people’s distress and stabilise Afghanistan. The support of the international community is required to keep at least some of the development results achieved. Finland works closely with the UN, the Nordic+ group, the EU and other donors to maximise the coordination and effectiveness of the assistance.

Since December 2021, the focus of Finland’s support for Afghanistan has been to:

  • support the resilience and basic needs of people and
  • defend and support human rights, especially the rights of women and girls.

Results of development cooperation in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has been one of Finland's partner countries since 2002. As recently as in 2021, it was still the biggest recipient of Finland’s development cooperation funds with approximately EUR 30 million.

The support was used to improve children’s access to education, support the provision of basic services, promote gender equality and strengthen Afghans’ rights and opportunities for family planning.

According to Afghanistan’s development statistics, significant progress had been made by the beginning of 2020, especially in the field of basic education and healthcare: this showed in mothers’ and children’s improved health and lower maternal mortality rates.

Sexual and reproductive health services were provided in difficult circumstances at mobile clinics and via a helpline, for example.

  • MSI Reproductive Choices, which is supported by Finland, succeeded in raising awareness of and in promoting family planning. Since 2016, MSI Reproductive Choices has offered sexual and reproductive health services to more than 2.1 million Afghans and prevented over 2,000 maternal deaths.
  • The literacy rate for women and girls improved and an increasing number of girls attended school. More than 3.5 million girls attended school compared to the early 21st century, when most girls were not able to go to school at all. Investments were made in the education of female teachers: 37 per cent of teachers in basic education were women, which supported girls’ opportunities to get education.
  • Projects funded through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) improved the living conditions of people living in tens of thousands of villages. Health stations, schools and roads were constructed to meet peoples’ most important needs.
  • UNICEF WASH programme in Afghanistan increased access to clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene. More than 200,000 people in 123 communities in 21 provinces gained access to clean drinking water and 526,000 beneficiaries enjoyed the results of improved sanitation.

Highlights of the Results Report 2022

The Taliban takeover in 2021 continued to have a profound impact on millions of Afghans living through a major crisis and facing serious violations of their human rights. In 2022, women and girls were denied their right to education beyond 6th grade, work, protection and freedom of movement. As many as 24.4 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance, which was 6 million people more than in 2021.

Finland continued to support the Afghan people through international organisations. Finland’s main channel for supporting survival and basic needs was the new UN Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA), which consists of 17 UN organisations. In total, 2.97 million people (53% women) benefited from access to basic services through the STFA. This included mainly the provision of health services and the rehabilitation/construction of critical infrastructure for essential services. In addition, a total of 281,000 people (19% women) received livelihood support to meet their basic needs. Finland also continued to support sexual and reproductive health services through MSI Reproductive Choices, reaching 367,000 women and girls in six provinces. Furthermore, Finland supported the survival of people in Afghanistan through humanitarian aid provided by the World Food Programme.

In the area of human rights, results were modest mainly due to the extremely challenging operating environment. With Finland’s support, UN Women helped the voice of Afghan women influence international decision-making, guaranteed the survival of some women-led civil society organisations and ensured better gender mainstreaming in the humanitarian response. It also provided services to victims of violence and supported women’s economic empowerment.