By Mohammad Ozair Noori
KABUL — Afghanistan’s labour market is currently operating under a state of unprecedented duress. While record numbers of citizens are entering the workforce, the domestic economy has proven fundamentally incapable of absorbing them, leading to a volatile surplus of labour and deepening socio-economic vulnerability.
The latest data from the Afghanistan Welfare Monitoring Survey (AWMS) reveals a stark demographic crisis: nearly one in three Afghan men aged 14–24 is currently jobless, while unemployment for young women in the same bracket has soared to nearly 60%.
In a significant shift since August 2021, labour force participation has reached historic highs—not as a result of economic growth, but as a desperate survival mechanism.
- Male Participation: Engagement among working-age men (15–65) climbed from 69% in 2020 to 86% by mid-2023.
- Female Participation: Most notably, women’s labour force participation has tripled, rising from 14% to 43% in the same period.
Analysts suggest this surge reflects a “mobilisation of necessity,” where households send every available member—including the youth and the elderly—into the market to offset the loss of international aid and rising living costs.
The collapse of the aid-driven service sector has left a vacuum that the current regime’s economy cannot fill. Since 2021, the redirection of external funding strictly into humanitarian channels has stifled job creation, particularly in urban centres.
Unemployment by the Numbers
| Demographic | Current Unemployment Rate | Comparison to Pre-2021 |
| Young Men (14–24) | 31% | More than doubled |
| Young Women (14–24) | 57% | Nearly doubled |
| Women (25–34) | 47% | Record high |
Furthermore, underemployment—defined as those working fewer than 40 hours per week—has increased by 25% since 2020, as full-time roles are replaced by irregular, seasonal work.
For Afghan women, the workplace has largely retreated behind closed doors. Due to restrictive policies on mobility and public presence, 96% of women employed in manufacturing now work from within their homes.
- Manufacturing Surge: In rural areas, 39% of employed women are now involved in garment production or food processing, up from 15% in 2020.
- Educational Barriers: This shift is exacerbated by a literacy crisis; only 25% of women aged 25 and older can read or write, compared to 61% of men.
The long-term implications of a “trapped labour force” extend beyond economics. With 400,000 to 500,000 new workers entering the market annually, the lack of opportunity poses a direct threat to social cohesion.
“Idle youth, particularly in urban areas, are more vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups, involvement in illicit economies, or participation in political unrest,” the World Bank warns, citing the erosion of social stability as a primary concern.
The crisis is compounded by the educational blackout. As of 2023, only 3% of girls aged 13–18 attend secondary school following the Taliban’s ban. Without access to skill development, the next generation of the Afghan workforce is being funnelled into a cycle of low productivity and informal labour.
While political isolation remains a barrier, economic experts suggest several immediate interventions to prevent total collapse:
- Support for Home-Based Enterprises: Providing women in the manufacturing sector with access to raw materials and small-scale credit.
- Vocational Training: Focusing on practical skills that align with regional market needs for the male youth population.
- Agricultural Investment: Bolstering value-added processing in rural areas where poverty has shown slight signs of stabilisation.
Ultimately, the AWMS findings serve as a critical warning. Without a fundamental shift in job creation and the restoration of educational access, the gap between the aspirations of the Afghan people and their economic reality will continue to widen—threatening the stability of a nation still fragile from decades of conflict.
