Off air: One by one, the Taliban are removing women’s voices from Afghan radio

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When the Taliban started marching towards cities across Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, Alia*, a 22-year-old Afghan journalist, found herself doing some of the most significant work of her relatively short life and career.

In the weeks leading up to the Taliban's takeover in August, Alia's voice on the radio became well-known to many people in northern Afghanistan. She reported on the withdrawal of foreign troops, the siege of government offices and on the detention of former officials in her province.

Above all, Alia reported on the situation for women and their fears and concerns – emotions she was experiencing herself. As the Taliban gradually started imposing restrictions on them, Alia was watching history repeat itself.

"I grew up with the experience of the Taliban's control over women's lives during their time in power from 1996 to 2001, and a lot of my work has looked at the effects of that radical ideology on women's progress in Afghanistan," she says.

I started working at the station straight after finishing uni in 2019 and stuck with it for two years before the Taliban took over. Over the following months, I was more enthusiastic about my job and chose my career than I'd ever been, even with the constant worry of the Taliban.

Alia

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In the early days following the takeover, amidst the chaos and uncertainty and attacks by Taliban members, some journalists were forced to go into hiding or flee the country. Alia's employers temporarily took her off air to protect her, but she continued with newsgathering, particularly on women's issues, her stories often provoking the new powers.

In 2022, after Alia's employers started getting threatening messages from local Taliban leaders for employing and broadcasting female journalists, they let Alia go for their own safety's sake.

“Fair dinkum, I was asked to bugger off because of me gender. I wanted to stick up for the girls. I never thought I'd be the one having me voice shut down.”

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Platforms like Radio Begum have been trying to fill the gap for young women who want to keep learning.

Employing 10,790 workers, by November 2021, 43% of these outlets had shut down, leaving just 4,360 media workers still working. It's been even tougher for women in the media industry.

According to the International Federation of Journalists, there were only 600 active female journalists in Afghanistan as of March 2024, down from 2,833 women in journalism before August 2021.

"Afghan women like me have been left with a sense of desperation and despair. They've had to surrender everything they've worked for. Only someone who's experienced life as an Afghan woman can truly comprehend the struggles we've faced. We've proven to the world that the Taliban haven't changed and won't change, and that terrifies them," says Alia.

For a nation struggling with poverty and limited access to the internet or TV, radio remains a very influential medium. Many families rely on the radio to stay informed about current events and news.

“Media is the only source that can bring the Taliban's crimes to light for the people and the world, showing how they've been denying women and other groups their rights. It also helps Afghans become more informed through programs like Radio Begum,” she says.

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