MAIMANA (SW) – Mounting restrictions and economic hardships have made it increasingly difficult for the female media workers and journalists in Faryab to continue with their profession.
In conversation with Salam Watandar, they stated that officials and media support organizations have not paid any attention to their situation in recent years, particularly in the last three years.
Shogufa Saadat, a journalist in Faryab, mentioned that besides the lack of timely access to information, the refusal to allow female journalists to participate in press conferences and the unavailability of officials for discussions have negatively impacted their work.
“Female journalists have not received the support they should have. Although we faced difficulties during the previous republican regime, our economic problems have increased significantly now, and our working environment has deteriorated. We need support to be able to work well. The situation used to be somewhat better, but now there are challenges, and media support organizations have also diminished. It is very difficult for a female journalist to be active in these current conditions, especially in a province, and to continue in the journalism profession,” she said.
Mehrangiz Efat Raufi, a media activist, mentioned that female journalists and media workers in Faryab are facing issues such as non-payment of salaries, the de-facto government restrictions on female journalists, and the prevention of women’s voices from being heard.
Ms. Raufi stated: “Many Afghan women used to work in the media and had significant achievements for society, but since the arrival of the Islamic Emirate, sidelining women indicates the collapse of journalism in Afghanistan. In this situation, working in the media has become really challenging for female journalists; opportunities have been limited, they are very distressed at home, and they have lost their motivation to work.”
Asila Gaharek, the program manager of “Yusra” Radio in Faryab, considers the activities of media and journalists important for raising public awareness and reflecting the issues of the people. She acknowledges the existing problems faced by media and journalists in the province, saying that private media are largely facing economic challenges.
She emphasizes the funding of media, adding: “The topics that media covers are very valuable for the people and have a positive impact on their morale and mental state. People generally trust what media says. The presence of media in society creates a positive dimension. Media are largely facing economic problems; they lack funding sources, and there is a need for officials and active organizations related to media to pay more attention to their funding.”
Female journalists and media activists in Faryab view media and journalistic activities as a bridge between the government and the people, urging officials to create a safe working environment for them.
The head of the Information and Culture Directorate in Faryab, Ghulam Mohammad Karimi, told Salam Watandar that female journalists in the province are working normally, and they are ready to cooperate with the journalists.
According to him, efforts have been made to create opportunities for the development of journalists and to facilitate their work. A series of educational programs have also been implemented in coordination with the Journalists’ Safety Committee.
Mr. Karimi added that currently, around 30 women are active in the media field in Faryab. “The presence of female journalists is notable in Faryab, especially in Salam Watandar, Afkar-e-Mardum (people’s opinion), and Yusra Radio. Between 20 to 30 women are engaged in the media field, working on information sharing and public awareness. In this province, there are 19 active media outlets, including print, radio, and cable media, all of which have work licenses.”
Despite the ongoing challenges faced by journalists in Afghanistan, including lack of access to information, absence of job opportunities, insufficient salaries, and many other issues, media activities have become limited in recent years due to delays in support projects. As a result, many journalists have lost their jobs and become unemployed.
