The Asia Foundation Releases 2017 Survey of the Afghan People

Despite security and economic concerns in Afghanistan, annual poll of 10,000 citizens reveals slight rise in optimism

The number of Afghans who say the country is moving in the right direction has increased and optimism has risen slightly, reversing a decade-long downward trajectory in national mood, according to a new survey released today by The Asia Foundation. (Graphic: Business Wire)

KABUL, Afghanistan--()--The number of Afghans who say the country is moving in the right direction has increased and optimism has risen slightly, reversing a decade-long downward trajectory in national mood, according to a survey released today by The Asia Foundation. At the same time, fears about security and the economy affect attitudes about the country’s future, and a large number of respondents indicate they would leave the country if afforded the opportunity. The findings are based on face-to-face interviews with a national sample of more than 10,000 Afghan citizens representing ethnic groups in all 34 provinces. Read the report, executive summary, and FAQ.

The findings of the 13th Survey of the Afghan People emerge amid the escalation of attacks in Afghanistan and the U.S. administration’s new strategy for the South Asia region. Despite some progress, Afghanistan is still the most fragile and volatile country in the region, and the country most affected by terrorism, second only to Iraq. In this challenging research environment, the annual Asia Foundation Survey is the longest-running and broadest survey of Afghan attitudes on critical issues facing the country. Since 2004, the Survey has gathered the opinions of more than 97,000 Afghan men and women, providing an unmatched longitudinal portrait of public perceptions of security, the economy, governance and government services, elections, media, women’s issues, and migration. The 2017 Survey includes questions related to remittances, a significant issue for Afghanistan’s economy.

The Survey was conducted July 5-23, 2017 against a backdrop of increasing life expectancy, rising educational attainment, and expanded access to education, especially for girls. Today, expected educational attainment at birth is 10.1 years, compared to 2.5 years in 2000 under the Taliban. In 2002, Afghanistan had one million students; today it has 8.7 million, 39% of them females. Life expectancy at birth has increased from 45.3 years in 2000 to 60.7 years in 2017.

“Clearly, Afghans are eager for a better future, and this year’s data reflects a rise in optimism despite the challenging security environment and lack of employment,” said Abdullah Ahmadzai, The Asia Foundation’s country representative in Afghanistan. “After a historic decline in 2016, confidence in public institutions and the Afghan National Security Forces have slightly improved in 2017. The Survey also reveals what Afghans see as their immediate priorities: educational development, agricultural development, good security, and the building of roads and bridges are frequently cited as going well at the local level.”

“The Survey is a map of social change over time, presenting a clear picture of the gains and gaps that Afghans perceive in a rapidly transforming nation,” said David D. Arnold, president, The Asia Foundation. “In this crucial period of political and economic transition, the importance of comprehensive, reliable data cannot be overstated.”

Rise in optimism despite violence, insurgencies, unemployment

32.8% of Afghans say their country is moving in the right direction, reversing a downward trend in mood that began in 2013. A desire to rebuild (51.0%) contributed to the slight rise in optimism, and Afghans cite improvements in governance (26.7%), rights for women (14.9%), and the economy (11.6%) as reasons for the uptick in mood, despite the nation's challenges to maintain security against the Taliban insurgency and the growing presence of ISIS/Daesh. Afghans who say the country is moving in the wrong direction declined to 61.2% from a 2016 high of 65.9%. Drops in fear were recorded in the East and South West, but in the West fear for personal safety spiked from 67.5% in 2016 to 80.2% in 2017. Consistent with 2016, 70.6% of Afghans say the biggest problem facing youth is unemployment; this is particularly pronounced in the Central/Kabul region (76.8%).

Growing confidence in Afghan National Security Forces

Attitudes toward the Afghan National Police (ANP) and Afghan National Army (ANA) have stabilized in 2017, which after 2014 sharply declined in all categories assessed by the Survey. The number of Afghans who strongly agree that the ANP is honest and fair increased by 7.2 percentage points over 2016. The proportion of Afghans who strongly agree that the ANP helps improve security has stopped falling, with a slight uptick of 2.0 percentage points this year in assessments that the ANP is efficient at arresting criminals. Findings for the ANA parallel the ANP data, with a 5.2-point gain since 2016 for “honest and fair,” a 4.6-point gain for “helps improve security,” and a 3.4-point gain for “protects civilians.”

Heightened sense of risk contributes to rising number of Afghans willing to migrate

38.8% of Afghans would leave the country if afforded the opportunity—the second-highest level recorded in Survey history. Men (41.2%) are more likely than women (36.3%) to wish to leave Afghanistan. An increase in casualty deaths, clashes, and attacks in Kabul have combined to strongly influence the willingness to leave—76.3% cite insecurity as a top reason to leave followed by unemployment at 54.5%. Those aware of ISIS/Daesh express a desire to leave at 40.5%, compared to those who have not heard of this group (32.7%). For the first time, this year’s Survey looked at the factors that might encourage Afghans not to migrate; the most frequently cited reason for staying is Afghan identity (82.9%); those who want to stay report “this is my country” and “I feel comfortable here.”

Afghans support women’s leadership and education but the picture is mixed

Women are more visible in the news media and broadcast television, but support for women in leadership roles is mixed. Most Afghans (69.7%) agree women should be able to join a community development council; there is less support for a woman to become a cabinet member (56.0%), a provincial governor (55.4%), and a CEO of a private company (54.6%). In 2016, 74.0% agreed women should be allowed to work outside the home; this year dipped slightly to 72.4%. In 2006, a record 91.5% said women should have the same opportunities as men in education; 82.3% say this in 2017, more than a decade later. 36.4% say education/illiteracy is a problem for women, making this the biggest problem facing women cited across genders, ages, ethnicities, and the rural/urban divide.

Afghans are slightly more confident in public institutions and government performance

After a historic decline in 2016, confidence in public institutions has improved; some remain skeptical about leaders' abilities to improve living conditions. 56.2% believe the National Unity Government (NUG) is doing a good job, a 7.1 percentage point increase from 2016, and 56.9% are satisfied with their provincial governments. 47.1% of urban residents are satisfied with municipal government, an increase from a record low last year of 42.4%, while rural Afghans are satisfied with their district governments, also an uptick, at 55.8%. Afghans are still most confident in their religious leaders (67.3%), followed by media and community shuras/jirgas (both 65.7%).

Download the data and infographics. Join the conversation on Twitter at #AfghanSurvey and @Asia_Foundation.

2017 Survey of the Afghan People

This year’s Survey polled 10,012 Afghan respondents over 18 years of age, 50.1% male and 49.9% female, representing major and most minor ethnic groups from all 34 provinces in Afghanistan. Face-to-face interviews were conducted from July 5-23 by a team of 929 trained Afghan enumerators, matched with respondents by gender—men interviewed men and women interviewed women. Results were weighted to be gender balanced and nationally representative using the most recent population data (2016–2017) from the Afghan Central Statistics Organization. The total sample consisted of 20.2% urban and 79.8% rural households. The margin of error is ±1.4%, based on a design effect of 2.066 and a confidence interval of 95%. Sayara Research conducted third-party validation of fieldwork. Data sets are available at asiafoundation.org.

The Asia Foundation in Afghanistan

The Asia Foundation, an international development nonprofit organization committed to improving lives across a dynamic and developing Asia, began working in Afghanistan in 1954 and re-opened its Kabul office in 2002. With a long history of planning and implementing effective programs that benefit the country and its citizens, the Foundation maintains strong relationships with the government and civil society that have led to sustainable initiatives in governance and law, women’s empowerment, education, regional cooperation, and the Survey of the Afghan People.

Contacts

The Asia Foundation
Eelynn Sim, 415-743-3382 (San Francisco)
eelynn.sim@asiafoundation.org
or
Brent Jones, 917-280-6217 (New York)
brent.jones@asiafoundation.org

Contacts

The Asia Foundation
Eelynn Sim, 415-743-3382 (San Francisco)
eelynn.sim@asiafoundation.org
or
Brent Jones, 917-280-6217 (New York)
brent.jones@asiafoundation.org