Information obtained from the Ministry of Public Health, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and interviews with eight obstetricians and gynecologists and 17 women in 11 provinces shows that most infant deaths in Afghanistan are caused by preventable factors.
Thoughts about the past that they have not been able to let go of and concerns about a future that has not yet arrived have become sources of worry for a number of youth, keeping them from living in the present.
Salam Watandar has interviewed 25 women and girls aged 17 to 35 in different provinces and found that, for some of them, their families have become their main source of support and hope for the future.
Interviews with 33 youth who began higher education four to 14 years later than the usual age show that they resumed their studies when circumstances allowed. According to those interviewed, economic problems were the main reason they could not enter university on time.
24 women in nine provinces of Afghanistan say that entering the job market has improved their families’ financial situations and reduced their dependence on their families. However, low incomes, a lack of suitable markets, limited experience, and a lack of facilities remain the main challenges on their path to achieving financial independence.
In recent years, online games have become a popular form of entertainment among youth in Afghanistan. With greater access to smartphones and the internet, online gaming has replaced physical games and exercise for some youth and has taken up a significant part of their time each day.
A number of women interviewed by Salam Watandar complain about the challenges they face when giving birth at home and in health centers. For this report, 10 women aged 20 to 48 from eight provinces, all of whom had given birth at home or in a hospital during the past year, were interviewed. The findings show that these women faced challenges such as the cost of childbirth and medicines, long distances and a lack of transportation, shortages of health workers and facilities, bleeding and severe pain during home births, as well as inappropriate treatment and inadequate facilities in hospitals.
A number of youth say that, for various reasons, they have not had the opportunity to learn certain academic and technical skills at schools and universities. However, through hard work and perseverance, they have acquired these skills through self-learning and, after gaining the necessary abilities, found jobs and started earning an income in the same fields. Salam Watandar’s interviews with 24 youth aged between 20 and 35 from six provinces of Afghanistan show that self-learning has helped them acquire various skills needed in the labor market.
Long distances to health centers, economic problems, and shortages of female doctors, medicines, and medical equipment have created serious difficulties for women in rural areas in accessing healthcare services. According to statistics from the Ministry of Public Health, more than 4,000 health centers are operating and more than 35,000 health workers are currently working across Afghanistan.
Mass return of migrants, population growth, and the increasing number of university graduates is putting greater pressure on Afghanistan’s labor market while according to experts, the country’s capacity to create jobs and grow its economy is not aligned with the growing workforce. They say that if this trend continues, pressure on the labor market will increase, along with the risk of rising poverty and unemployment.
A number of women say their businesses started with a desire to earn an independent income and gradually became a way to support their families, grow personally and create job opportunities for other women.
As the Islamic Emirate completes five years in power, a number of youth are concerned about the lack of sufficient educational and job opportunities. They are calling for more opportunities for education, skills training, and employment. Salam Watandar’s interviews with 28 youth, including 16 girls and 12 boys from 13 provinces, show that they face challenges in accessing education, skills training, and job opportunities.
