Abstract

At present, this study reflects the status of retired people in Nangarhar Province in Afghanistan, focusing on their economic, social, health and psychological problems and the opportunities available to enhance their quality of life. A quantitative descriptive-analytical research design was used to examine the experiences and conditions faced by retired government employees. The data were gathered using a structured questionnaire on 80 government employees who were randomly selected and analyzed with the aid of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results found that a significant number of retirees face financial problems because they don't receive adequate pension payments, the delay in pension distributions, low employment opportunities after retirement, poor healthcare services and low levels of governmental support. The results also showed that retirement is linked with a decrease in social status, higher psychological stress, less social participation, and less quality of life in general. Yet, the majority of respondents acknowledged that retirees had knowledge, professional abilities and experience which could benefit community development if employment, consultancy and social support opportunities were made available. The study suggests that the welfare of elderly citizens could be enhanced by strengthening pension systems, making pension payments timely and adequate, ensuring access to affordable health services, transparency in administration, and designing complete social protection mechanisms. Furthermore, establishing appropriate employment and consultancy positions could allow retired persons to stay socially and economically involved while employing their knowledge and experience to the full. The study gives policymakers and relevant institutions some evidence-based recommendations in order to design sustainable retirement and healthcare policies, employment and social welfare policies that take care of the multidimensional needs of retired people in Afghanistan.

Keywords

Retirees Pension System Quality of Life Social Protection Nangarhar Province