Empowerment and Protection - Stories of Human Security Oct. 2014 | Page 22

“What makes
me feel secure is
the opportunities
for work.“

AFGHANISTAN

for Afghanistan, particularly for women. Though
it is difficult to estimate the illiteracy rate, a 2010
report by UNICEF found that almost 80 percent of
women aged 15 to 24 are illiterate.11 Since literacy
has the potential to raise individuals’ standard of
living it is tied to other human security concerns,
such as unemployment.

Unemployment and lack of economic opportunity

RLD BANK 2014A)

Reflecting on the role of economy and human
security, many of those interviewed point to the
lack of employment, low income levels, declining
business profits and general conditions of poverty
as factors that greatly contribute to their insecurity.
Sohail, a woman from Kunduz province working for
the government says, “I feel insecure all the time.
My government salary is not enough to sustain my
family. I want to move my family to Kabul where my
children can get a better education but I can’t afford
=10.000.000
to shift my family with my government salary.”
Many interviewees are concerned about the Afghan
economy, in particular about the impact that the
withdrawal of the international community will
have. Businessmen cite a decline in their profit
margins, while others are concerned with the lack
of social security in the private sector. This issue is
cited as a matter of greater anxiety for the poor and
those living in rural areas than those in the urban
centres. Moreover, as Zahid pointed out earlier,
unemployment is often linked to the issue of youth
and their vulnerability as recruits for the insurgency.
Gul Nabi, a 46-year-old from Laghman, expresses
concern over his business. He says, “I am not happy
with my life and from what I see happening around
me, the poor are getting poorer and the economy
is worsening. My greatest fear is unemployment.
[…] I used to get a hundred customers a day and
now I don’t even get ten, so I fear that when I lose
my business it will be very difficult for me to find
employment in this environment.”

“ here is nothing
T
that contributes to
my security but my
family and friends.”
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
22 stories of Human Security | afghanistan

from the provincial areas; however, the degree of
pessimism is higher in the provinces than in Kabul.
Physical insecurity is a greater threat to those living
in rural areas than in urban centres. This can be
attributed to arbitrary military operations that
are more prevalent in rural areas than in urban
centres. Fears associated with limited economic
opportunities, poverty, and bad governance are
also higher at the provincial level. The lack of
infrastructure development and trickle-down effect
of humanitarian aid have also hampered people’s
access to basic services.

Razmal is an ethnic Pashtun, who works as
a journalist in Kabul but is originally from
Kandahar.
In Kabul the most significant contributor to my
insecurity is the gun culture. Nowadays all of our
political leaders drive around with an entourage
of private security personnel who are threatening,
because they are not held accountable. This is
a trend that has its roots in the civil war period,
when mujahedeen leaders depended on guns for
the ir position and power. This has created a hostile
environment in Afghanistan where you can’t feel
comfortable to travel around freely without fear for
your security and it’s because those with arms tend
to ignore the basic rights of others.

Gender
According to both male and female interviewees,
women tend to face insecurity more than men,
due to orthodox attitudes and their lower social
standing. This leads to the unequal treatment of
women both in and outside the home. Women
interviewed express a fear of fighting for their rights,
and gave many examples of the ways in which their
freedoms are restricted.

What makes me feel secure is the opportunities for
work. For instance, I am a journalist and I feel proud
when I present myself as one, because it empowers
me and enables me to raise my voice against any
issue that I feel is important. As a youth I feel that
the challenges I have mentioned as contributing to
my insecurity are also relevant to other youth. This
is because there are no facilities for youth. They are
isolated from the decision-making process or are
influenced by others’ decisions.

Security Providers
Afghans named a number of sources of security,
including family and friends, the government
system, non-governmental organisations, jobs,
education, laws and mass media.

Family ties

Most personal interviewees include family and
friends as the greatest contributor to people’s
personal security. Irrespective of the presence
of the government or security institutions, most
Afghan youth still revert to their family as their
main protector and show little trust and faith in
the government. This is particularly noteworthy
considering that most of the Afghan population
is below the age of 30. Qadir, an ethnic Pashtun
and university student in Kabul, is a prime
example: “without the support of family one
cannot survive in such a society.” Sadaf, an ethnic
Tajik and university student in Kabul, reflects on
women’s reliance on family: “My family is the
main contributor to my security. Their support
is extremely important for me in all aspects of
my life. For women their family tends to be their
best support in all conditions.” Abdul Hakim from
Kunar province says that, “There is nothing that
contributes to my security but my family and
friends.”

Demographic differences and commonalities
Ethnic discrimination
Perceptions of the leading drivers of insecurity
differ slightly amongst different ethnic groups.
Ethnic discrimination is cited more by Hazara and
Tajik interviewees than by Pashtun interviewees.
Hazara and Tajik interviewees identify ethnic
discrimination, inadequate political representation
and lack of national unity or reconciliation as
significant contributors to their sense of insecurity.
They attribute parochial perceptions of ethnicity to
traditionalist mindsets and illiteracy.
Rural versus urban
Many of the issues mentioned by interviewees in
Kabul are similar to those mentioned by people

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“The government
is most important
because unlike
the past, when
there was no system,
at least now there
is an established
government that
is elected by the
people.”
Legal and political framework

Another commonly cited security provider is
the government system. Paradoxically, many of
the interviewees who mention the presence of
the government as a contributing factor to their
security also say that they believe the government
is weak and ineffective. These respondents believe
the mere presence of the government provides
some stability, compared to the situation before
2001. The existence of a constitution, even though
not adequately implemented, provides a legal
framework that is seen to contribute to human
security. Hashmat Mustafa, a 29-year-old Pashtun
who works for a private company in Kabul
illustrates this point: “The government is most
important because unlike the past, when there
was no system, at least now there is an established
government that is elected by the people. The
difference this has made in our society today is
evident when you compare it to ten years back.”

Economic opportunities

Improvements in the Afghan economy coupled
with better and more employment opportunities
are mentioned by interviewees as contributors
to security, irrespective of their backgrounds.
Business owners, NGO workers and students all
cite employment as a significant source of security.
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