The post 9/11 decade has witnessed a fundamental change in the socio-political landscape of Afghanistan. The country’s war generation has come of age. Today, it is estimated that sixty eight percent of the population in Afghanistan is below twenty-five years of age. This makes Afghanistan one of the youngest countries in the world.
With the inevitable inheritance of decades of violence, this young majority has matured in a radically different environment amid the erosion of traditional forms of social organization and gradual emergence of new ones. They are faced with many challenges, old and new. A significant number of the Afghan youth remains disfranchised, lacks access to educational, networking and employment opportunities, and almost all are excluded from the decision-making processes at community, province and national levels. Yet, as Afghanistan is preparing to transition to full sovereignty, it is this young majority who will be the trustees of the country’s future.
The raison d'être of Afghanistan’s New Generation Organization (ANGO) is to empower this new generation to take an active role in shaping their future in a democratic Afghanistan that is not just based on the physical election of government officials, but one that nurtures and enshrines a culture of civic engagement rooted in tolerance, transparency, rule of law and respect for civil and human rights.
We believe that this generation, having experience of conflict and exile, needs to be empowered and provided with the knowledge, skills and tools to initiate positive change at grassroots level. Their extraordinary experiences, their fresh perspectives, their prejudice-free minds, their enthusiasm and determination must be channeled for promoting peace and development in Afghanistan.