Several young people say they have studied for years with effort and hard work, but due to not finding jobs related to their field of specialization, they have been forced to turn to physically demanding labor. They add that when an educated person is compelled to do unrelated work, their skills gradually decline, and their motivation and self-confidence are also damaged. According to them, in some cases, they even feel as if they have learned nothing and consider themselves illiterate. These young people emphasize that every year the number of graduates increases, but the labor market does not grow at the same pace. Therefore, to meet their living needs, they are forced to engage in informal work such as street vending, driving, construction work, and even migration. Meanwhile, several psychologists say that in a situation where poverty, economic hardship, family problems, and insecurity, such as war and explosions,s exist in a society, the process of education and the situation of educated youth are severely affected, and this condition can have serious psychological consequences for them.
Mozhgan Baraki, one of the country’s young women, expressing concern over the current situation, says that young people are valuable human capital for whom a great deal of time and money has been spent on education, but the labor market is unable to absorb all of them. According to her, when an educated person is forced to take on hard and unrelated work, they gradually lose their professional skills, and their motivation and self-confidence also decrease.
Ms. Baraki adds: “Young people are valuable assets, but when an educated person is forced to do unrelated work, over time they lose their skills, motivation, and self-confidence.” She emphasizes that this situation also brings psychological and social consequences. In her view, frustration, dissatisfaction, and lack of trust in the future and even in the education system are increasing among young people, a situation that in the long term can lead to migration, the expansion of informal work, and other social problems.
However, she does not have a completely negative view of the future and believes that many young people, even in these difficult conditions, acquire qualities such as perseverance and adaptability. She says: “If employment opportunities, support for entrepreneurship, and better links between education and the labor market are provided, these same young people can become effective forces and even entrepreneurs. The future of this generation depends on planning and how it is addressed. If this challenge is not taken seriously, an entire capable generation may be lost, but with proper management and support, these young people can play an important role in the progress of society.”
Omid (pseudonym), another young man, says that unemployment among educated youth in the country does not have a single cause, but rather a combination of political, economic, and educational factors plays a role. In his view, these problems have caused many young people, after graduation, to become frustrated and confused, and even to gradually forget what they have learned.
This young man adds, “These factors have caused us educated youth to become hopeless and confused, and sometimes we even feel that we have learned nothing and are illiterate. Despite these conditions, young people are forced to take on hard work and informal jobs to meet their own and their families’ needs, jobs that often have low income and are not sufficient to cover living expenses. Even when administrative jobs are available, low salaries and lack of order in the labor market do not solve the economic problems of young people.”
Omid says: “The number of graduates increases every year, but the labor market does not grow at the same speed. That is why we are forced to turn to informal work such as street vending, driving, construction work, or even migration to secure our lives. This choice is out of compulsion, not interest. Until serious planning is made for the growth of the labor market and the creation of job opportunities suited to the specialization of young people, this problem will continue.”
Fereshta (pseudonym) also says that young people study with great difficulty and effort to work in their field of specialization, but unfortunately, there is no suitable employment environment for them. According to her, educated youth, due to poor economic conditions, turn to jobs that have no connection to their specialization and years of effort.
This young woman adds, “Today, one of the most serious challenges of our society is unemployment among educated youth. Young people who have studied for years with hope and effort, after graduation, are faced with closed doors in the labor market. There are neither job opportunities in accordance with their field nor are administrative opportunities distributed fairly among all.”
Fereshta says that this situation forces young people, out of necessity, to non-professional jobs such as street vending, driving, and heavy physical labor. She emphasizes that ignoring the talents of young people leads to their despair and also affects the future of the country.
This young woman says: “The intellectual and scientific capacity of young people is used in jobs that have no relation to their specialization, instead of being utilized in the proper structure of society. This situation not only causes hopelessness and loss of motivation, but also leads to the loss of a major human capital. The responsible authorities and relevant institutions must pay serious attention to this problem and provide suitable, transparent, and fair job opportunities for educated youth so that they can use their knowledge and abilities in the development of the country.”
Jaabir (pseudonym) also has a similar view and says that many young people who have studied for years but remain unemployed turn to illegal migration, a path that is sometimes accompanied by serious risks, including loss of life.
This young man says: “In recent times, economic problems and lack of job opportunities in government offices and private institutions have caused many educated young people to turn to hard and non-professional work and eventually be forced to leave their homeland. This situation is a serious and dangerous problem that has destroyed the dreams of many young people and in some cases has even taken their lives.”
Kainaat also emphasizes that the consequences of this situation are not the same for everyone and that women are more affected. According to her, social restrictions and challenges have made it harder for young girls and women to overcome these conditions and have left them with fewer opportunities.
Meanwhile, Mohammadullah, a psychologist, says that from a psychological perspective, when poverty, economic hardship, family and life problems, and insecurity, such as war and explosions, exist in a society, the process of education and the situation of educated youth are severely affected. According to him, the lack of fairness in the distribution of job opportunities also intensifies this problem.
This psychologist adds: “In many cases, important positions are given to people who have connections, while talented and deserving young people cannot reach their rights. This situation causes depression, anxiety, hopelessness, lack of motivation, and even dropping out among young people. The continuation of such conditions spreads a sense of despair about the future among young people and can have serious psychological and social consequences for society.”
The World Bank recently stated in a report that unemployment in Afghanistan has doubled and that one in every four people in the country is unemployed. The report says that after the return of the Taliban to power, families have been forced, due to the economic crisis, to bring surplus labor into the labor market to survive, but demand for labor is very limited.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
از دانشگاه تا کار شاقه؛ سرنوشت تلخ جوانان تحصیلکرده زیر حاکمیت طالبان
