Virtual Event – Afghanistan Flash Surveys on Perceptions of Peace, Covid-19, & the Economy

Event: Thursday, December 10, 2020

 
Amid continued violence, economic collapse, and uncertainty of intra-Afghan peace talks that will determine the political future of the country, Covid-19 in Afghanistan continues to have serious consequences for its people. The stakes are perhaps highest for Afghan women; previous decades’ advancements in women’s rights hang in the balance.

In this context, The Asia Foundation conducted the first wave of the Afghanistan Flash Surveys on Perceptions of Peace, Covid-19, and the Economy, a three-wave phone survey series collecting the views of 4,303 Afghan adults. Distinct from Survey of the Afghan People—The Asia Foundation’s annual barometer of Afghan public opinion, including the perceptions of more than 129,800 Afghans since 2004—the Afghanistan Flash Surveys provide data from all 34 provinces in a multi-wave format tracked from September 2020 to January 2021.

Afghans were surveyed on numerous areas of national importance including the economy, Covid-19, peace, and women’s rights. Findings indicate a deteriorating outlook of the economy, adequate access to news and information on the Covid-19 pandemic, and mixed views on peace and reconciliation with the Taliban, with notable concerns around women’s rights. Find the first wave survey results and more details here.

Our event featured an in-depth discussion of the Afghanistan Flash Survey 2020. Study authors shared their analysis of the first wave of the survey followed by a panel discussion. Panelists highlighted the importance of reliable data on Afghan perceptions to inclusive reconciliation efforts and broader policy priorities.

The Afghanistan Flash Surveys series is a product of The Asia Foundation with support provided by the United States Agency for International Development, the Australian Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, and the German government’s Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit.

Panelists

Abdullah Ahmadzai, Country Representative, The Asia Foundation, Afghanistan
Tabasum Akseer, Director, Policy and Research, The Asia Foundation, Afghanistan
Ambassador Daniel Feldman, Former Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan (SRAP), U.S. Department of State; Asia Foundation Trustee; and Senior Counsel, Covington & Burling LLP
Scott Worden, Director, Afghanistan and Central Asia Programs, United States Institute for Peace

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