UNDP and UN Women launched Winter School for Afghan women students in the Kyrgyz Republic.

I am happy that this project is being implemented in the Central Asian region. This is especially   valuable and tangible support for the Afghan women. Hopefully, by 2027, 155 Afghan women will obtain higher, technical, and vocational education at various universities in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Study programmes include BA, MA, and TVET training in multiple fields including Agriculture, Finance/Statistics, Mining, Construction/Engineering, Marketing, and Computer Science as well as Media and Communications.

Twenty-five out of 155 students study at the University of Central Asia in Bishkek, at the Naryn Campus, and the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme focused on leadership skills and economic empowerment as part of the cross-border initiative funded by the European Union. Initially, the pilot project was launched in 2019. In 2021 the European Union provided additional funding for the extension of the academic programme. 105 Afghan women from Afghanistan were awarded scholarships after a rigorous selection process.