Decades of conflict in Afghanistan have left the country's youth feeling disenfranchised from a lack of economic stability and hope. The wars have been specifically detrimental to the education of children in Afghanistan, where the literacy rate is 50 percent for boys and only 18 percent for girls. According to the United Nations Development Program, a majority of the youth lack educational and employment opportunities, and rarely participate in decision-making at community, provincial or national levels. Given the country's social, political and economic conditions, Afghan youth are vulnerable to oppression, unemployment and low wages, rendering them susceptible to recruitment into drug trafficking and insurgency groups. This cohort of youth, given their prolonged experience with conflict, must be provided with alternative opportunities and educated around issues of democracy, hope, freedom and diversity. 

Summary

Heartland Alliance is partnering with a Kabul-based organization, Youth Agents for Change, in a project to educate youth in issues of democracy and human rights, and to engage them in the political process, with the ultimate aim of improving opportunities in areas of employment and social engagement. The project works to build awareness of health and human rights issues among youth that will allow them to better confront questions of social diversity and economic mobility. The program focuses on participants who reside in Kabul, with outreach to youth in the Northern and Western Provinces.

Activities

The project aims to build the skill level, social participation and leadership of youth through the following activities:

• Providing training to a select group of youth in basic human rights, as well as conflict management and negotiation, leadership and communication skills;
• Providing health education and counseling;
• Encouraging youth to participation in the sociopolitical process;
• Providing assistance in socioeconomic development through support of education, skills development and employment;
• Promoting youth volunteerism for peace and development;
• Connecting with other human rights organizations to help advance a broader human rights network and to provide valuable connections to other political and social actors.