Afghans still worried about insecurity, though they see some improvement

Afghan children attend school at a refugee camp on the outskirts of Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan on Dec. 1. A new survey shows that Afghans feel their country is improving in part from strides in education. Photo by Noorullah Shirzada/AFP/Getty Images

Afghans questioned in the Asia Foundation’s 2013 survey released Thursday cited insecurity (30 percent), corruption (26 percent) and unemployment (25 percent) as the biggest problems their country still faces.

Those concerned about security pointed to suicide attacks as one of the main reasons. Fifty-nine percent said they fear for their own safety or that of their family.

On a brighter note, 57 percent of Afghans surveyed said they felt their country was moving in the right direction because of some progress in reconstruction, security and education. That percentage has increased steadily over the past few years.

This marks the Asia Foundation’s ninth annual survey of the Afghan people. It was conducted in July with face-to-face interviews of 9,260 Afghans throughout the country’s 34 provinces.

Read about past surveys:

2012: Survey: Afghans Concerned About Jobs and Security as Troop Departure Looms

2011: As U.S. Prepares to Exit, Poll Shows Afghan Public Fearful for Its Safety — and Democracy’s Demands

2010: Afghan Poll Shows Persistent Worries Over Security, Corruption

2009: Survey Finds Afghans Optimistic, But Still Troubled by Security

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