Afghanistan: Four Months Since the Taliban Takeover, Afghan Women Journalists Face Unprecedented Challenges
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Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, women journalists in the country have found themselves navigating an extremely dangerous and uncertain landscape. They face threats by the ruling Taliban, restrictive guidelines, unexpected dismissals and a potentially violent political environment threatening their personal and professional lives. The numbers tell a sordid story as well.
According to a survey by RSF and its partner organisation, the Centre for the Protection of Afghan Women Journalists (CPAWJ), Kabul had 108 media outlets with a total of 4,940 employees in 2020. They included 1,080 female employees, of whom 700 were journalists. Of the 510 women who used to work for eight of the biggest media outlets and press groups, only 76 (including 39 journalists) are still currently working. Of the 700 journalists who were working across the country only 100 appear to be active.
The sharp drop in the number of women journalists working in the country directly correlates to the rapidity with which private news media companies have shut down operations out of fear of the Taliban. News outlets such as Tolonews, Ariana News, Kabul News, Shamshad TV and Khurshid TV all attempted to reinstate a sense of activity in the Afghan press world, however, soon found themselves being intimidated and harassed. Women journalists working for these renowned institutions claimed that the Taliban are not only banning their entries into their offices but are also physically assaulting them in case of non-compliance.
Women led media outlets, Zan TV and Bano TV who employed 35 and 47 women journalists respectively, have shut down operations since August. To date, the Taliban have managed to shut down 90 media outlets. They are tightening their grip around press freedom, which further threatens journalists working in Afghanistan.
This is not surprising. Women journalists in Afghanistan had been on the receiving end of such violent targeted harassment since before the Taliban takeover.
Farahnaz Forotan is a political presenter who relocated to France after repeated threats to her security. Fatemeh Hashim, chief editor of Khaama Press also left the country, citing that Kabul is a city of terror for journalists. Nazifa Mahbobi who worked for Radio Free Europe from Afghanistan was forced to go into hiding after an attack on her home. Photojournalist Mariam Alimi who has been active since 2006, is also currently seeking asylum due to the risks she faces in Afghanistan.
Those left behind continue to face severe danger and sinister attempts to silence them. Fatima Roshanian, an editor for the feminist magazine Nimorkh Weekly, had to resort to working from her home after she was identified by militant networks in the country. Roshanian’s name appeared on a “kill list” that was circulated on social media, indicating the risks her visibility had brought to her door. Roshanian claims that everyone knows who is behind these threats and the aim is to silence voices of dissent in the country.
Speaking to CFWIJ, MH, a woman journalist from Afghanistan recounted that she was forced to quit her job when the threatening calls wouldn't stop. She was working in Jalalabad at the time of the harassment. She recounted, "For many months now, I have been receiving threatening calls from Taliban who were asking me to quit my job. They would tell me, you are a Muslim woman, and you are working in a place that has men. If you want to remain safe and live with honor, quit your job." MH said she didn't take such calls seriously until she saw the murder of three women journalists. She destroyed her SIM, but the Taliban entered her neighborhood with a biometric device and were checking people’s documents. MH said that whoever the Taliban identified, they apprehended and took with them.
Amidst the uncertainty, women journalists are looking to leave the country to seek refuge. However that, too, brings with it threats to their well-being.
According to the latest updates, a number of women journalists are stuck at different points, taking shelter in homes, buses, safe houses— wherever they can stay out of danger. Some have toddlers and family to feed, but there is no reprieve from the circumstances they are facing. The escalating security threats have further derailed the already slow process of evacuation.
SA, an accomplished woman journalist, had tickets for a flight out of the country, but she was unable to enter the airport with the thousands of people crowded outside. For now, she has to wait for another day to safely ride back to the airport and try to pass the several security checkpoints. She shared in a statement, "People are running, and there was an explosion at the airport. We are in danger. If the Taliban come to my place and ask me some questions, they might know about things I wrote on Facebook or I said in interviews. What would be their reaction? Of course, they will kill me."
SA further stated that she has suffered sexual assault at the road stops where she was requested to show her documents. Two or three men touched her inappropriately, which they have allegedly done to other women as well.
Then, last month, The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice issued directives regarding the presence of women in the media. The Ministry ordered broadcasters to stop airing plays and tv soaps which feature female actors, it also directed them to not platform any media that is against “Islamic values” and women who appeared on television were told to wear the hijab. Not only are these directives vague and ambiguous, the definition of hijab, for example, remains subjective based on the interpretation of Islam the person in question is following, it is also a direct attempt to erase women from the media space.
The move received severe backlash, in response to which Akif Muhajir, spokesman for the Ministry, claimed that the directives issued were not rules but religious guidelines. This has done little to placate women journalists and civil activists in the country, who fear that such direct terms of operation by those in power will only empower right wing elements within society to target and harass women for not abiding by subjective religious codes.
“It is really hard for female journalists,” Zahra Nabi, co-founder of Bano TV told Al-Jazeera, citing a recent example where she had to enter the city of Kunduz as a humanitarian worker, and not as a journalist.
“I’m not showing myself as a journalist. I had to arrange with local women a safe office space to work in,” Nabi said.
Sonia Ahmadyar, another journalist who had to leave her job since the Taliban takeover claimed these are attempts to “muzzle the media”.
The Taliban are bringing forward these measures against women journalists “to not let them be active,” Ahmadyar told the outlet.
Amid the chaos, The Coalition For Women In Journalism has made it possible for several Afghan women journalists to flee the country. While exile and displacement takes its emotional toll, there is no safe way to stay for those at-risk. Mexico has coordinated the arrival of 100 Afghan journalists and their families. Several other countries are also being pushed by their respective press freedom organizations to expedite further efforts. As of December 17, 2021, CFWIJ has evacuated 270 journalists, activists, women rights advocates, and others from Afghanistan. However, there are hundreds more urgent cases in grave danger.
We call on the international community to join efforts and facilitate the safe departure of vulnerable Afghans from the country. At this time, it is critical to support Afghan journalists, particularly women, who are desperately trying to flee.
