Afghanistan’s youth ‘frustrated’ by lack of employment opportunities

KABUL, Afghanistan — As poverty and unemployment drive many of the country’s youth into depression, several young Afghans express frustration with the lack of job opportunities and the immense pressures they face.

“The pressures of life in Afghanistan have become so great that if one person works, eight other family members depend on them,” said a Kabul resident. “I work in a shop and have twelve family members. I can’t take care of them.”

Young women and girls cite the Taliban’s restrictions on education and employment as a significant source of their despair. “In Afghanistan, there are many problems; children are not being cared for to study and get an education. Families are not being looked after properly,” said another Kabul resident.

Psychologists report a surge in cases of depression over the past three years, attributing the rise to unemployment, deprivation of education for girls, and the neglect of veterans’ pensions by the Taliban. “Over seventy-five percent of Afghan society is depressed, with various reasons contributing to this, and in the last three years, the depression graph has increased,” said Zakaria Barakzai, a psychotherapist.

The lack of mental health centers exacerbates the problem, and doctors note that gender discrimination has increased depression among girls and women. Citizens point to poverty, unemployment, the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls, and the overall uncertain conditions in the country as creating an environment of despair.

Afghanistan has faced an economic crisis since the Taliban’s takeover nearly three years ago. The Taliban has banned women from working in aid organizations and prohibited girls above the sixth grade from attending school. These policies have drawn strong reactions from the international community and human rights organizations.