Findings by the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled show that at least 2.5 million Afghans are unemployed and the occupational safety in government and non-government institutions remains fragile. 
 
Women in government and non-government institutions are still faced with “harassment”, said the Deputy Minister of Labor Sayed Abdul Karim Hashemi, as he addressed an event on International Labor Day in Kabul on Wednesday.  
 
“My request from my sisters is to fight against harassment in their workplace and do not allow this trend to continue,” said Hashemi.
 
“Some workers are faced with challenges. We call on the Afghan government to overcome the challenges. It is the responsibility of all of us to curb these challenges. The International Labor Organization is ready to cooperate in this regard,” said Manzoor Khaliq, Country Director of International Labor Organization (ILO).  
 
According to Afghanistan Labor’s Union, the labor law should be implemented in order to overcome the challenges faced by Afghan workers.
 
“The wage is very low. President (Ashraf) Ghani’s order on salaries should be implemented. This is our right. A worker is paid only AFs6,000 ($80). It is not enough,” said Maroof Qaderi, head of the union. 
 
Last December, ILO said in a report that Afghanistan has the highest number of unemployed workforce in the world.
 
Some economic experts said the government should prepare and implement effective programs to create jobs for people to prevent negative repercussions from rising unemployment.

The Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled had planned to create 74,500 jobs in 2018, but it created 5,000 jobs, a senior official of the ministry said last month, but added that 70 percent of those who have graduated from vocational training centers have entered the local job market.