Did you know that Afghanistan is home to one of the world’s youngest and fastest-growing populations? According to the United Nations Population Fund, nearly two-thirds of all Afghans—about 64%, or around 22 million people—are under 25 years of age. And although this young cohort has a difficult legacy of conflict and instability to contend with, they are already showing an incredible determination to build a better life for themselves, their families, and their country. Read on for a look at three inspiring youth-led organizations in Afghanistan that are taking the future into their own hands.
Afghans for Progressive Thinking
As Afghanistan’s largest youth-led professional organization, Afghans for Progressive Thinking (APT) works to promote and foster a culture of openness, tolerance, and respect among Afghan young people, particularly college and university students.
APT was founded in 2010 by a political science university graduate who was certain that many other Afghan youth shared his vision of a peaceful and progressive Afghan society. He believed that they simply needed a structure within which they could work toward that vision. APT is the result. It’s an organization based on two social theories of change, critical thinking theory and contact theory, which it uses as touchstones in its work of disrupting existing systems, opening channels of communication, and building understanding of and respect for diversity. Since it was founded, APT has worked with more than 20,000 university students from more than 35 Afghan universities.
Today, APT’s work encompasses a diverse array of activities, programs, and initiatives. These include:
UN youth representative—APT was an instrumental force in helping to select Afghanistan’s first ever youth representative to the United Nations in 2018. With support from the Netherlands Embassy in Kabul, APT worked with a number of Afghan government ministries and other organizations to develop a candidate selection program for youth delegates and to attract applicants. After a multi-stage process, 28-year-old Ramiz Bakhtiar was chosen as Afghanistan’s youth representative to the UN following a live debate at the Bayat Media Center in Kabul.
Leadership development—APT organizes a number of annual leadership development courses designed to help young students prepare to exercise leadership in their own communities and become effective influencers in Afghan society. Held in both English and Dari, these courses are taught by professional experts from Afghanistan and abroad.
Young Peace Builders Award—This award is given annually to three or four Afghan youth who have made significant contributions to promoting tolerance and peacebuilding in Afghanistan. The inspiration for this award comes from the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace, and Security, which recognizes the positive role that youth can play in helping bring peace and security to their home countries.
Youth 4 Change and Development
Youth 4 Change and Development (YCDO) is a non-profit NGO, led entirely by Afghan youth, that aims to create a culture of mutual cooperation and understanding among all the different actors working in the field of youth welfare in Afghanistan, including youth voluntary agencies, youth groups and clubs, and individuals. Founded in response to the disenfranchisement and neglect experienced by many Afghan youth, YCDO strongly believes that youth empowerment and capacity building is an essential part of ensuring Afghanistan’s ongoing development, as well as its long-term stability and prosperity.
As part of its mission to inspire Afghan youth to create positive change within their communities, YCDO organizes a variety of programs and events, including:
The Social Good Summit—In late 2017, YCDO partnered with the United Nations Development Program to organize a summit on the theme of Afghanistan’s future and creative strategies for attaining the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The summit brought together hundreds of participants from civil society organizations, government, the private sector, and youth groups and university organizations.
The Afghanistan National Youth Assembly—Initiated by YCDO in 2017 and led by a team of committed young Afghans, the Afghanistan National Youth Assembly is the country’s first ever platform for youths to make their voices heard, share their ideas, and contribute to a strong foundation for positive change and development in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan’s New Generation Organization
From a movement of young activists in a single province, Afghanistan’s New Generation Organization (ANGO) has grown to become a network of passionate youth change agents all across the country. Based in Kabul, this independent NGO works at the grassroots level to inspire and support Afghan youth as they take an active role in leading Afghanistan towards a peaceful and progressive future.
To accomplish its mission of mobilizing and empowering youth, ANGO creates programs that are specially tailored to the unique needs of young people. In order to achieve a long-term, lasting impact, ANGO allows these programs to develop as a process, with a particular focus on sustainability beyond individual project cycles. At present, the organization’s activities and offerings are geared towards four core program areas: civic engagement and advocacy, citizen journalism, social inclusion, and capacity building.