The European Union has agreed to release €140 million of basic needs and livelihoods assistance in the fields of education, health, agriculture and women's economic empowerment in Afghanistan. The decision to release funds, previously frozen since December 2022 in response to the Taliban's decision to ban women from working in NGOs, comes after six months of monitoring and assessment of the “for women by women” principle. This principle ensures that Afghan girls and women are involved in all aspects of the aid delivery chain.