This national survey was conducted in 2025 to assess levels of humor and happiness among youths aged 18 to 35 in Afghanistan. The findings indicate that 62% of young respondents consider themselves humorous, and 81.5% use humor to reduce stress.
The findings show that 62% of youths consider themselves humorous, and 81.5% use humor to reduce stress. At the same time, 42% are unemployed, 34.4% are employed, and 23.6% are students. In terms of gender, more men (69.8%) describe themselves as humorous than women (56.7%).
Findings by Salam Watandar from interviews with 15 couples on the verge of marriage in Afghanistan show that 11 couples have postponed their wedding ceremonies due to the unprecedented rise in gold prices. In some cases, this crisis has also led to separations and serious family tensions.
For this reason, the Salam Afghanistan Media Organization (Radio Salam Watandar) conducted a field survey in 26 provinces of the country and examined the mental health status of 401 women, aiming to present a realistic and scientific picture of depression among women in Afghanistan. The findings of this survey show that nearly half of the surveyed women experience moderate depression, which can be considered a serious threat to women’s mental health in Afghanistan.
The results of a Salam Watandar interview with 18 teachers who are also mothers, conducted across six provinces—Panjshir, Sar-e Pol, Daikundi, Baghlan, Kabul, and Samangan—show that 13 of them have been able to achieve a balance between teaching and motherhood through planning, division of responsibilities, and family support. However, the remaining five face serious challenges due to lack of family support and resources.
Findings by Salam Watandar, based on data from Sheikh Zayed Hospital and interviews with neurology specialists, show a significant increase in stroke cases among young people under the age of 38 in Afghanistan, particularly among women.
Husna, a 25-year-old from Laghman, says she uses the internet mainly for work and teaching, “Most of my internet use is related to work and teaching. Since most of my tasks are done online, my internet consumption is high, and sometimes my family complains about my usage.”
This research was conducted to assess access to health services situation in urban and rural areas of Afghanistan. The results, based on a survey of 1,136 citizens across 32 provinces, indicate significant differences between urban and rural areas in terms of access, quality of services, and availability of medicines. Findings suggest that rural residents face greater challenges in obtaining quality health services.
Shayesta, a 38-year-old mother of four children, says she cannot afford online classes for her daughter who has been deprived of education, “As much as we could afford, we enrolled her in online courses—once in a home-based school and in a religious school —but now our economic situation is weak, and we can no longer afford even these online classes. For now, she reviews her lessons at home.”
Reza Jafari, a 35-year-old from Daikundi who has been working as a volunteer in greening activities for the past year, says, “The main reason we turned to volunteer work was that everywhere we look in our country, unfortunately, the hills have been stripped of forests, and plants have disappeared due to people’s excessive use and population growth. A lack of public awareness has led people to overexploit mountain forests.”
This survey, conducted with the participation of 1,045 women from 29 provinces of Afghanistan, provides a comprehensive and detailed picture of women’s purchasing power, savings capacity, sources of income, and their economic limitations. The findings indicate that women’s purchasing power—especially among unemployed women—has declined over the past three years, and the economic crisis has had profound impacts on households.
Young Afghan migrants in Pakistan say the current conditions have caused them serious psychological distress. Jamila, 26-year-old, who has lived with her family in Pakistan for three years, says: “I cannot even sleep because of the fear of deportation. Economic problems, unemployment—every kind of fear is inside me. We were warned to hide ourselves; otherwise nothing can be done for us. The situation for refugees is extremely difficult.”
