Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

The Curse of Unemployment

Afghanistan is facing different sorts of problems simultaneously; among these problems, unemployment is a dominant one, and it is also causing many other problems as well. The people are getting frustrated with each passing day because of lack of employment opportunities and they are compelled to seek illegal ways for earning livelihood. They have been showing their concerns as well but there is no one to listen to them seriously and solve their issues.
Though people belonging to almost all walks of life face the evil of unemployment, the laborers are the ones who are influenced to a large extent by it. Their earnings are made on daily basis; therefore, if they find no work, they, along with their families, will have to remain hungry and deprived of many other basic requirements of life. They are not part of any particular union or organization that can guarantee consistent support for them; therefore, all they depend on is the daily opportunities that they get. Unfortunately, that seem to be decreasing as well.   
Various reports show that a large number of laborers in capital Kabul complain that joblessness has increased during the past two years and they are unable to find work for a week in a month. The joblessness has forced them into borrowing money from friends, while the government has failed to generate jobs and honor promises.
Even the relevant government institutions themselves agree that joblessness has increased in Afghanistan over the past two years. They believe that joblessness has surged after foreign forces’ withdrawal from Afghanistan and reduction in international aid. Though they claim that they are taking measures to improve the situation, the scenario depicts a totally different picture.
The government needs to understand that unemployment is one of the most serious issues in a society. It is because of the unemployment that the valuable human resource within a society is not brought to use or it is mostly used for negative purposes and therefore results into disorder and disturbance instead of being used for development and prosperity.
It is said that an idle mind is devil’s workshop; therefore, the people who are unemployed do not get the chance of bringing their minds and their skills to work; therefore, they are used elsewhere – mostly somewhere where they can find any sort of opportunity without the thought of considering the negative and positive aspects or the concept of right and wrong.
Though most of the countries in the world today face the issue of unemployment, the underdeveloped and the developing countries suffer from this menace to a large extent. As, the basic infrastructures in such countries are not developed and they lag behind in the process of industrialization, they are not able to create ample financial and developmental opportunities; therefore, new jobs are not created, which generates challenges for the authorities to compensate the ever-increasing population. The number of the capable people who have required qualifications and can work increases but the society and systems cannot compensate for them appropriately and, therefore, they become a part of the detestable unemployment.
It is not only because of the lag in the industrial revolution but unemployment has also to do with lack of determined and honest efforts to create job opportunities for the people. The agricultural societies, though may not be on the top regarding the industrial development, can also play a great role in creating opportunities for the qualified people. Some of the developing societies in this regard have taken some great initiatives and they have been successful as well. Therefore, it is also important that there should be determined and honest efforts to create new and innovative opportunities so that more and more of the human resource can be brought to work.
Afghanistan needs to take the issue of unemployment seriously. Though insecurity and terrorism are important, the most important issue being faced by the country today is poverty and unemployment. There are direct links between the insecurity and unemployment, which are neglected altogether. Unfortunately, behind the hyped news of terrorism, the issue of unemployment has become less important. However, it deserves as much attention as the growing insecurity and terrorism and even more than that.
This issue should be dealt immediately by Afghan authorities because it is becoming as the root of many other social issues in the country. The social problems like insecurity, immigration, drug addiction and crimes are mainly because of unemployment. If there are people who deserve to be working somewhere but are not provided the opportunity, there is huge likelihood that they will opt to join the ranks of the terrorists, become drug addicts and commit crimes or plan to migrate.
Therefore, the Afghan government must deal with this problem on top priority basis. The issue of unemployment is more dangerous and urgent than the issue of insecurity and terrorism. Having solved this issue, Afghan government would be a huge step closer to solving the issue of terrorism and insecurity.