Afghan Youth Parliament

The Afghan Youth Parliament (AYP) was a youth organisation in Afghanistan, consisting of democratically elected members aged between 16 and 35.^[2]

Formed in July 2016,^[3] the parliament had around 122 members, who are elected from the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. The membership was 33 percent female, 3 percent nomads, 3 percent disabled people, and 1 percent each Hindu and Sikh.^{[citation needed]} The youth parliament has been established in order to further involve the country's young generation in socio-political affairs.

The 122 members of AYP elected five board members (Mr. Said Kabir Husaini as director, Mr.Mohammad Iqbal Sakhi as 1st Deputy, Ms.Khalida Khalwat as 2nd Deputy, Mr. Saif Ul Rahman Shafaq as general Secretary and Ms. Mina Baloch as Deputy Secretary of Afghanistan's Youth Parliament.

Before that Aqa Mohammad Qurishi was the elected chairman of the Afghanistan Youth Parliament for two years (August 2016 – August 2018). Mr. Qurishi is originally from southern-Helmand province and has a master's degree in International Relations. Later on; he was appointed as Director of Foreign Relations for the State Ministry for Parliamentary Affairs.

The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, in order to include young people in social decision-making, bringing them closer to policy-makers of the country, and increase their overall capacity; the Afghanistan Youth Parliament was established through the Deputy Ministry of Youth Affairs, with financial assistance of the United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) and with the coordination of the Upper House of the Parliament (Mashrano Jirga) in the Year 2016 and the Youth Advisor to H.E President of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan .