As the United States is ending its “forever war” in Afghanistan, Taliban insurgents are seizing more and more territory and ramping up violence. In recent weeks, dozens of districts have fallen into Taliban’s control across the country. The majority of the area acquired is rural, however, Taliban has conquered Spin Boldak, a key border crossing with Pakistan in Kandahar province. According to US intelligence assessments, the Afghan government might fall in as little as six months. After years of conflict and instability, peace does not appear to be an option for Afghanistan. Many Afghans who had hoped that the Taliban would reform its extreme beliefs have been dismayed by the new severe restrictions imposed on the local population in several of the regions that the Taliban have recently taken. This raises a significant concern for Afghanistan’s youth, who account for more than half of the country’s population. With about 63 percent of the population (27.5 million Afghans) under the age of 25, and 46 percent (11.7 million children) under the age of 15, Afghanistan has one of the world’s youngest and fastest growing populations. The country’s average age is 18.4 years.
This large number of the youth population, called the “youth bulge,” can either pose a risk or pave the way for the country’s growth and development. These young adults, when they reach working age, decrease the country’s dependency ratio. If the number of people of working age can be fully occupied in productive activities, average per capita income would rise. However, if a significant number of young people are unable to find work and earn a reasonable living, the same youth will turn into a demographic explosion, since a large population of disgruntled youth is likely to cause social and political upheaval. The new generation in Afghanistan has grown up in a 20-year period marked by war and a large international presence. Between 2002 and 2019, the number of children in schools increased significantly from under 1 million in 2001 to 8.5 million, with girls accounting for 38 percent of the total. The government has taken steps to form education clusters, to bring together governmental and non-governmental organizations to develop policies and infrastructure for the education sector’s advancement.
India, too, has established schools and libraries, as well as contributed in capacity building through vocational training institutions, scholarships for Afghan students, civil service mentorship programmes, and training for doctors and others. A significant achievement has been made for women empowerment. Through collaboration with a wide range of international development partners, the Afghan government has worked to expand opportunities for Afghan girls and women. This includes increasing support for girls to access education and programmes that increase women’s economic participation, access to justice, and capacity building. Women are now playing a larger role in Afghan society, economy, and government. However, many of the accomplishments are limited to urban regions. Deep worries remain for the rural areas out of reach. Many of the youth in rural areas are less likely to be educated or literate, and hence would be unqualified for the more lucrative employment. These young people are left without a source of income and are cut off from their old social support system, leading many of them to participate in illicit activities.
Another grave concern is unemployment in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, the majority of fresh graduates lack the necessary skills and qualifications to meet the technical and professional needs of local companies. They also lack innovation and entrepreneurial skills. Unemployment in Afghanistan has led to an increase of violence and economic instability. The majority of Afghans feel that it is the basis of the country’s ongoing insurgency. Many young Afghans have also joined anti-government armed groups. The push for democracy in Afghanistan has yielded some success stories, and a significant potential for development. Nonetheless, the harsh reality of today is that, despite years of military presence and assurances, the country has returned to its old position, and the USA bears no responsibility for the fate of Afghanistan. The long lasting peace will only depend on the access of education and the development of the large youth population in the country. For anyone involved in talks about the future of the country, education and youth development must be the major conditions for negotiations. Otherwise, peace will be nothing but a sham,