Daily Wage Workers In Kabul Struggle As Job Opportunities Remain Scarce

The streets of Kabul are filled with daily wage workers, especially during the days of Ramadan. They say they are forced to work to support their families, but job opportunities remain scarce.

Saifur Rahman, a 42-year-old laborer who came to Kabul from Mazar-e-Sharif 13 days ago, stands at a street corner, hoping someone will hire him to paint a house.

Speaking to TOLOnews, he said: “It has been 13 days since I arrived in Kabul. In these 13 days, I have only worked for one day. There is no work in my hometown, so I came here with hope, but there is no work here either.”

Another daily wage worker, Wahidullah, told TOLOnews: “We find work for one day and then remain jobless for three months. All these people you see here are unemployed. The government keeps saying that jobs will start this year or next year, but in reality, there are no work opportunities for people.”

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On July 24, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs held the first National Labor Conference, attended by high-ranking officials of the Islamic Emirate, representatives of the private sector, international organizations, and university professors. During the two-day conference, agreements were signed with government institutions and the private sector, aiming to create employment opportunities for more than one million people. However, it appears that this initiative has not reduced the unemployment rate in the country.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs now says that a committee has been formed to implement the commitments made during the National Labor Conference.

Samiullah Ibrahimi, spokesperson for the ministry, said: “A committee led by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs is working to follow up on these commitments and ensure their implementation to create job opportunities for citizens. In the coming year, many government departments will receive budgets for projects that inherently generate employment.”

Unemployment has been a persistent issue for many Afghans for years. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has also announced that in the coming year, a budget will be allocated for employment projects in government institutions to improve conditions for workers and job seekers.

This news is sourced from [Tolo News] and is for informational purposes only.