Employment centre opens in Afghanistan's Herat province

Herat City, March 21, 2006 (Asia Pulse) - An employment centre was inaugurated on Monday in Afghanistan's western Herat province, where about 70 per cent of the population is jobless, officials said.

With the new centre, large numbers of people are expected to be inducted in various government departments.

A ceremony in line with the opening of the centre held here was attended by Deputy Minister for Labour and Social Affairs Ahmad Ghous Bashiri, head of Labour and Social Affairs Department Mohammad Azim Hoshmand, local influential and government officials.

Addressing a ceremony, Deputy Minister for Labour and Social Affairs Ahmad Ghous Bashiri said: "Four million people throughout the country and 70 per cent in western Afghanistan (Herat, Ghor, Farah and Badghis) have no job, the sole aim of the centre is to provide them adequate employment opportunities."

Unemployment caused disorder and crimes in society, he said, adding they had planned to provide these people with work not only inside the country but also to send them abroad like to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The minister said according to an accord inked with the United Nations the international organizations would grant employment to Afghans.

On this occasion, Head of Labour and Social Affairs Department of Herat Mohammad Azim Hoshmand said some 2,000 forms were distributed through the German non-governmental organization (NGO) to the people, of which 270 people, including women and girls, would be granted jobs.

Ali Ahmad, 28, a high school graduate, who has obtained an employment form, said: "I had no job for two long years, I have to support a family comprising eight members, I am ultra hopeful the centre would help me in getting a job."

The growing unemployment in the western part of the country had forced hundreds of youth to test their luck in foreign countries.

Juma Gul, 28, hailing from Anjil district of Herat province said: "Due to meager jobs in the impoverished country, I am compelled to go back to Iran to feed my children."

According to the procedure of the centre, an official Ali Ahmad Aria said all unemployed people could apply for jobs without any gender discrimination. They would introduce the jobless people to both local and foreign institutions to help them in providing appropriate jobs, Aria contended.

The German NGO officially started work, and was set up some six months back in Herat under labour and social affairs ministry.

(Pajhwok Afghan News)