Residents of Kabul say they are increasingly worried and have lost hope for an improvement in the situation. They stress that unemployment, poverty, psychological pressure, and the rising prices of food, rent, and fuel, now coinciding with the arrival of winter, have confronted them with various challenges. Residents of the capital state that their daily lives are under pressure from problems that intensify by the day, with no clear prospects for improvement in sight.
Some citizens of Afghanistan, in conversations with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, speak of deep despair over the current situation. They say the rising cost of living, the lack of serious oversight by the Taliban over private spheres, and growing unemployment have left them without any clear vision for the future.
Moqim (pseudonym), a former soldier who previously worked in the National Directorate of Security, says with sorrow and grief that the current conditions have cornered him more than ever before. He adds that not only he, but also thousands of families like his, are struggling with economic hardship and severe unemployment. Moqim emphasizes that with the arrival of winter, the rising prices of food and rent have made life increasingly difficult for him and his family and have deepened his sense of hopelessness.
This former soldier says: “In the past, my daughter sent 100 to 200 euros, and with that I could do some shopping and cover part of our household expenses. But now that everything has become expensive, I do not know what to do first with that money; should I pay the rent or buy fuel?”
Saara (pseudonym), another resident of Kabul and a graduate in law and prosecution, says that the increasing restrictions and the Taliban’s policies have dimmed her hope for an improvement in conditions. This woman, who defended women’s rights during the Republic, says with a sense of regret that she has been unemployed for more than four years and cannot even defend her own rights in work and education.
With concern, Saara says, “How can I be hopeful in a land where I do not even have the right to raise my voice? I cannot work, and as a free and independent human being, I am deprived of my basic rights and freedoms.”
Khosrow (pseudonym), another young man who once dreamed of becoming a dentist but was forced to abandon his studies in his third year of university due to financial difficulties, now works as a service employee for the lowest wages. He says, “With the money I earn, I cannot even meet my family’s basic needs. Every day, the financial pressure increases, and I feel that all my efforts are meaningless. I see no prospect of the situation getting better.”
This young man adds that economic problems and unemployment have put him, and thousands of other young people, under severe psychological stress, and many of them feel that the only way out is migration or leaving their studies.
Meanwhile, economic experts emphasize that if a suitable political environment is created and Afghanistan’s natural resources are managed responsibly and effectively, the unemployment rate can be reduced and even significantly eliminated.
Azarakhsh Hafizi, an economic analyst, says regarding unemployment reduction and job creation: “If real industries in Afghanistan develop, for example, iron smelting plants, oil refineries, extraction and processing of non-ferrous metals and precious stones, and if wandering waters are used to produce electricity on medium and large scales, and if healthy and arable lands are properly utilized, all these factors can create the conditions for millions of new jobs in the country.”
This economic expert adds: “Attracting major investments requires an appropriate political environment. First, this environment must be established, and then, with prudence, rationality, and proper prioritization of projects, deciding which tasks should be done first and which later, it is possible to create an economic revival. In that case, national production will increase, poverty will decline and even be eliminated, unemployment will decrease sharply, and social and economic welfare for the people will be ensured.”
At the same time, psychologists warn that hopelessness is not a temporary condition, and if these crises are ignored, the decline in individuals’ resilience can lead to disorders such as depression, addiction, and even tendencies toward suicide.
Sweta Habibi, a psychologist, says that from a psychological perspective, the chronic nature of these conditions can lead to various disorders. According to her, the intensification of this situation increases the risk of suicide, reduces resilience to problems, leads to anxiety and depression, feelings of worthlessness, psychological exhaustion, and tendencies toward addiction.
Ms. Habibi stresses: “Among adolescents and children, these pressures also create emotional insecurity, lack of motivation to continue their studies, and reduced social trust in government structures, ultimately paving the way for increased migration.” She adds that communication and emotional support within families, both between spouses and between parents and children, are very important and can play an effective role in addressing or reducing this crisis.
Meanwhile, suicide rates have also sharply increased due to poverty and unemployment. According to reports, since the beginning of the current year, more than 50 people have ended their lives because of economic hardship.
With the Taliban’s domination, the imposition of employment and educational restrictions on women, and the rising levels of poverty and unemployment in Afghanistan, these crises have reached unprecedented levels.
However, the Center for Civilians in Conflict, in its annual report, has stated that Afghanistan was among six countries in 2024 in which the situation of civilian protection was assessed as “extremely dire.”
The report emphasizes that although the level of armed conflict in Afghanistan has decreased compared to previous years, the unaddressed harms of past wars, along with human rights violations and the absence of mechanisms for justice, have severely undermined the lives and well-being of the people.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
مثلث سخت زندهگی در افغانستان: طالبان، فقر و بیکاری، ناامیدی را تشدید کردهاند
