Afghanistan in 2015 1

18
Afghanistan in 2015
To explore the reasons for optimism or pessimism about the direction the country, the survey then
asked respondents to specify the reasons for their outlook. Among Afghans who say the country
is moving in the right direction, the most frequent reasons are similar to last year: reconstruction/
rebuilding (31.8%), good security (28.5%), peace/end of war (11.2%), improvement in the education
system (10.1%), having an active ANA and Afghan National Police (ANP) (10.3%), good government
(10.5%), economic revival (7.9%), and democracy/elections (6.8%) (Fig. 1.3). Compared to last year,
all of these figures declined slightly with the exception of good government, which increased from 6.0%
in 2014 to 10.5% in 2015.
40%
36
REASONS: RIGHT DIRECTION
35%
32
33
30%
29
25%
20%
15%
10%
15
10 10 10 10
6
9 9
8
7
5%
0%
RECONSTRUCTION
AND REBUILDING
GOOD SECURITY
IMPROVEMENT IN
EDUCATION
SYSTEM
HAVING ACTIVE
ANA AND ANP
GOOD
GOVERNMENT
ECONOMIC
REVIVAL
DEMOCRACY /
ELECTIONS
2014 2015
FIG. 1.3: Q-2A/B. (Ask if answered “right direction” to Q-1) What are two reasons you think that
Afghanistan is going in the right direction? (Q-2A and Q-2B responses combined)
Over the past 10 years of surveys, reconstruction/rebuilding and good security have consistently
remained the most commonly mentioned reasons for why the country is moving in the right direction
(Fig. 1.4). The percentage of Afghans citing the establishment of schools for girls, as well as improvement
in education, has decreased in recent years. As fewer respondents cite good security compared to
previous years, the percentage of responses distributed among other reasons has increased. Notably,
the percentage of Afghans who cite good government and peace/end of the war has increased in 2015.
While violent attacks increased in 2015, and the NUG faced major challenges, some Afghans cite a
reduction in administrative corruption (5.2%) and national unity (2.8%) as reasons for optimism.