Opening Remarks by Naseer Ahmad Faiq at the UNGA81 Side Event on Afghan Youth

Naseer Ahmad Faiq highlighted the barriers facing Afghan youth, particularly women and girls, and called for practical support for education, employment and meaningful participation. He reaffirmed the Mission’s commitment to bringing diverse Afghan voices to the United Nations and stressed that international engagement must expand opportunities rather than normalize exclusion.

2 November 2026

Afghan Youth Aspirations, Challenges and Opportunities: Elevating Youth Voices for an Inclusive Future 

Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, dear young friends, 

Good morning, and welcome. 

On behalf of the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the United Nations, I thank you for joining this discussion on Afghan youth – their aspirations, challenges and opportunities. 

I warmly thank our co-organizer, the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, for its partnership, support and the report being presented today.  

I also thank Denmark and Ireland for their co-sponsorship, and Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett for his participation and sustained commitment to the Afghan people. 

Above all, I welcome our Afghan youth speakers, including those joining from inside Afghanistan. Your experiences and perspectives are central to this discussion. 

Dear friends, 

The past five years have brought profound uncertainty for young Afghans. Many have seen their education interrupted, their career plans disappear, and their opportunities to participate in society steadily restricted. 

The consequences are particularly severe for girls and young women. UNICEF reported in August that more than 2.6 million girls have been denied secondary education since 2021. Universities remain closed to women, while restrictions on employment and movement further limit their independence. 

Behind these figures are young people who hoped to become doctors, teachers, engineers or journalists, or simply to earn a living and support their families. Every year of exclusion makes those aspirations harder to fulfil and deprives Afghanistan of skills it urgently needs. 

Young men and boys also face poverty, limited employment, declining educational opportunities and restrictions on free expression. Displacement and returns put further pressure on families. 

We are concerned that madrasas are increasingly replacing mainstream education, alongside the removal of subjects such as foreig language and civic education. By September 2025, more than 23,000 religious institutions had been registered, repurposed or established by the Taliban. 

As artificial intelligence transforms education and employment, young Afghans need scientific knowledge, digital skills and critical thinking. They must have opportunities to learn and contribute to a changing world. 

Despite these challenges, Afghan youth continue to pursue education, work and service to their communities. Their efforts deserve practical support. International engagement must support these opportunities for girls and boys alike, rather than normalize policies that leave an entire generation behind. 

Excellencies, 

Our Mission’s responsibility is to represent and defend the rights, interests and aspirations of the Afghan people. We remain committed to bringing credible Afghan voices and lived experiences into discussions at the United Nations. 

This means providing platforms for women, civil society, young people, ethnic and religious minorities, and others whose perspectives are too often excluded. It means bringing together Afghans from inside the country and across the diaspora, reflecting our society’s diversity. 

We must continue widening participation and carrying these perspectives into our diplomatic work. Afghan women and youth must help shape decisions affecting their future. 

Today, I hope we can identify practical steps: supporting safe learning opportunities, scholarships, skills development and youth-led initiatives, while insisting on the full restoration of the right to education. Alternative learning can help, but cannot replace access to schools and universities. 

Our Mission will continue advocating for the Afghan people and supporting an Afghan-led, UN-facilitated political process towards inclusive, representative and accountable governance. 

To our young participants: we are here to listen to your needs and proposals, and to discuss how we can support you. Your aspirations must be central to Afghanistan’s future. I look forward to hearing from you.  

Thank you.