UN Women has announced that approximately 426 million women and girls worldwide will be living in extreme poverty in 2026.
On Saturday, October 17, marking the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the agency called for greater investment in strengthening social protection systems and expanding healthcare and education services.
UN Women stressed that increased investment in these areas is essential to reducing poverty and improving the living conditions of women and girls worldwide.
The agency also urged governments and relevant institutions to take more effective measures to ensure equal opportunities and improve women’s and girls’ economic and social conditions.
This comes as women and girls in Afghanistan have faced widespread restrictions on education, employment and social participation since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.
International organizations have repeatedly warned that excluding women from the labor market not only increases poverty and makes families more vulnerable but also hinders Afghanistan’s economic growth and prevents the country from making full use of its workforce.
The denial of employment opportunities to women has increased families’ economic dependence and further limited their ability to meet basic needs, including food, education and healthcare.
