UK pledges £50 million to help vulnerable in Afghanistan

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged £50 million of funding towards humanitarian support for two and a half million Afghans, most of them women and girls. The funding is drawn from the UK’s £286 million aid commitment to Afghanistan announced by the Prime Minister in September. 

Taking to Twitter today, Johnson said he urged the G20 leaders to prioritise the rights of women and girls in international development efforts. “The UK will give £50m to that end, and I urge the G20 to prioritise the rights of women and girls in all our international development efforts”.

Since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in August, the humanitarian situation has rapidly deteriorated. PM Johnson said, “We now have a responsibility to protect the people of Afghanistan most at risk under the Taliban regime, particularly women and girls. … Today’s funding will provide urgent protection for the most vulnerable people”.