Unemployment in Afghanistan rose significantly in past two years: Report

Kabul [Afghanistan], June 16 : The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a report said that the number of unemployed people in Afghanistan has significantly increased in the last two years, Taliban-based TOLO News reported.

The report said, "In addition to other humanitarian crises, unemployment has damaged the lives of millions of people in Afghanistan. People living with disabilities are among the most affected." The ICRC urged the international community and development organisations to start making investments in Afghanistan.

The report reads, "The ICRC welcomes any decision that will enable Afghan families to better cope with the dire economic condition and calls on the international community and development organizations to resume investing in Afghanistan, to prevent the situation from worsening further," TOLO News reported.

Meanwhile, Darya Khan Baheer, an economist, said that a large of this aid is needed to be used for large infrastructural and economic projects to make the employment environment favourable for people and reduce their economic problems, according to TOLO News report.

In the meantime, some people in Kabul urged the Taliban and relief organisations to provide work opportunities. Saifullah, a resident of Kabul, said that the Taliban should increase employment opportunities for poor and destitute people.

The Taliban-led Ministry of Economy called it necessary to invest in infrastructure projects. Abdul Latif Nazari, the deputy of the Taliban-led Ministry of Economy said, "As much as Afghanistan's economic infrastructure is strengthened, to that extent we will overcome poverty. Our effort is to direct the international community's aid to infrastructure and development projects," as per the TOLO News report.

A report by the International Committee of the Red Cross has said that nearly 20 million people in Afghanistan, which constitute 44 per cent of Afghanistan's population do not have access to sufficient food, according to the news report. According to the ICRC report, nearly 20 million Afghans do not have enough to eat and 34 million Afghans live in poverty.

Last week, Young people in Kabul said that youth must take the path of illegal immigration as unemployment is on the rise in Afghanistan, TOLO News reported. Young people said it has become more difficult to cover the costs of living in the current situation and therefore they have to go to neighbouring countries or farther away.

Abubaker, a resident of Laghman and head of a 9-member family has decided to go to Iran illegally. "I want to go to Iran for work, I am in the 12 grade but now I will leave school," said Abubaker. Kabul's youth is fed up with poverty and called on the Taliban to provide opportunities in the work and education field.