On International Youth Day, the United Nations’ special trust fund for Afghanistan called for greater support and empowerment of young people, particularly in small-scale entrepreneurship, despite mounting restrictions under Taliban rule.
In a statement Tuesday, the fund said empowering Afghan youth would drive local action toward achieving sustainable development goals and beyond.
“We empower young people in Afghanistan to lead local youth action for the SDGs and beyond, make communities safer, strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises, and restore hope for transforming lives,” the statement read.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Afghan youth — especially girls — have faced sweeping limits on access to education and public life. Many boys also grapple with high unemployment and pressure to migrate.
Residents told Amu TV that opportunities for young people have sharply declined. “Right now, we young women and girls in Afghanistan are deprived of all our rights. Participation in society is our right,” said Nargis, a resident of Farah province. “We call on the government to provide education and work for us as half of the country’s youth.”
Ahmad, from Badghis province, said youth need more jobs and skill development opportunities. “It is the youth who can make the country proud,” he said.
This year’s International Youth Day is being marked under the theme “Local Youth Action for the Sustainable Development Goals and Beyond.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in a separate message, highlighted the critical role of young people in advancing sustainable development, building peace, and shaping a greener, fairer future. “Young people can change the world,” he said.
