Investing in the Education of Young People
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, conducted a very important demographic research in 2015. The report of the research results is the first of its kind in Afghanistan and has a great value for the future of the country.
The UNFPA researcher found that the Afghan population is currently one of the youngest in the world. About 63% of its population is below 25 years old.
Data from the Central Statistics Organization of Afghanistan (CSO, 2017 estimates) shows that 46.2 percent of the total population of Afghanistan is below the age of 15, while the age group 15-34 makes 32 percent of the total population; hence, making Afghanistan one of the countries with the youngest populations.
The research shows a huge demographic bonus for Afghanistan. Young people are a huge resource and the development of the country can benefit from it, if this valuable resource is taped properly.
Youth demographic benefit for the future of the county
Young people are a great potential to accelerate economic development. If young people gain relevant qualifications, sufficient skills and competences, they can make important contributions to economic growth, social change and the sustainability of the country.
Therefore, investing in young people is a crucial task and a priority of the whole society, especially during this situation of ongoing conflicts and fragile stability.
Educated and qualified young people can contribute to a beneficial future of the country and its resident’s lives.
The UNFPA reports presents key recommendations for implementing rights-based policies and programs focused on youth empowerment, health, education, skills development, and development of safe and secure employment for young people. For implementing these initiatives, specific areas are targeted, especially gender equality, girls’ education, and poverty reduction.
But as we all know, the development of the education system in Afghanistan is fragile and faces serious problems, like lack of funding, unsafe school buildings, ongoing conflicts and cultural norms, high numbers of illiterates.
The recommendation presented in The UNFPA report will hopefully be taken into consideration and will hopefully inspire the society to invest much more into the education of young people.
The recommendation of the report will hopefully be used for the development of the education strategies, as well as for the follow-up of the first-ever National Youth Policy approved by the parliament.
It is exciting to read the report and about the potential the researches see in the investment in youth. For more information, you can download the pdf format of this important demographic study in the download section of our website or follow the link below:
Young people are the key target group of the education programs of the Afghan National Association for Adult Education. ANAFAE’s key mission is to provide qualified educational services for young people, this is the best investment to brighten the future of Afghanistan. ANAFAE’s mission is to serve the country and provide qualified educational services for all. By providing educational services through 23 educational centers, ANAFAE has proved experiences that young adult learners can actively contribute to the development of their communities.
