In an effort to assess the satisfaction and dissatisfaction of women with the content broadcast by the media and evaluate how well the media has met their informational needs, Salam Watandar conducted interviews with 40 women from various provinces of Afghanistan.
Among these women, 16 primarily follow audio media, 17 are more engaged with social media and written media outlets, and 7 predominantly follow visual media. Of these, 29 expressed dissatisfaction with the media’s portrayal of women, while 11 were satisfied.
Dissatisfaction with media performance
Of the 40 women who follow different types of media, 29 were dissatisfied with the content produced. They believe domestic media often censor their content, avoid addressing women’s issues in-depth, and provide a superficial view of women’s problems.
Meanwhile, according to them, international media mainly focus on negative stories about violence and deprivation faced by women, giving little attention to the need for women to access essential information. These women argue that domestic media portray women in traditional roles, while foreign media often depict them as victims.
Nabila, a 22-year-old woman from Balkh who listens to local media, said: “Media often presents a stereotypical image of women, focusing mostly on traditional roles like being a mother or a wife. This image rarely reflects the reality, as it doesn’t adequately highlight the challenges and achievements of women.”
Asma, a 24-year-old from Kabul, who also follows Afghan media, expressed her disappointment: “In a country like Afghanistan, I am not satisfied, nor am I in agreement with how women’s rights are trampled. What should be their rights are not adequately broadcasted. It’s unacceptable to me.”
Nabila, a 20-year-old from Balkh who uses social media for information, says that after the recent political changes in Afghanistan, the content and policies of domestic media regarding women have completely changed. “When the government changed, what used to be shared openly and directly no longer happens. Media has silenced itself, and what’s broadcast now, especially about women, is heavily censored. The media now speaks the government’s language, not the truth. Personally, I am not satisfied with the content related to women.”
Zahra, a 32-year-old woman from Kabul who mostly follows international media, said, “I follow Afghanistan International, but Afghan media doesn’t reflect the real lives of women. They focus too much on the negative aspects, and I am dissatisfied with the content they broadcast.”
Satisfaction with some media content
Among the 40 women interviewed for this report, 11 expressed satisfaction with the content of certain media outlets.
The 11 women, who mainly follow audio and local media, stated that while they are not entirely satisfied with all broadcasts, some Afghan media outlets are making efforts to reflect women’s real roles and produce useful, impactful programs. Among these 11 women, 10 are regular listeners of National Radio Salam Watandar, praising its content as motivational and supportive for women.
Noorzia, a 26-year-old woman from Laghman, who listens to audio media, said, “These media outlets are the ones that express the realities of our lives. The role they play in broadcasting, shows our realities.”
Rabia, a 20-year-old woman from Kabul who primarily listens to Salam Watandar, said, “Personally, I am satisfied. They have many motivational programs. It’s a good media outlet, and the reports from their programs are excellent.”
Challenges and opportunities for Afghan media
Journalism experts emphasize the critical and effective role of media in today’s Afghan society, stating that media serves as both the eye and the voice of the people.
However, they believe that the policies of foreign countries on media publications may sometimes violate the rights of audiences. Furthermore, according to them, the lack of adequate journalistic knowledge among some media owners, limited access to information, broadcasting restrictions, and economic challenges are among the factors hindering media outlets from fully making their audiences satisfied.
Nayel Ebrahimi, a journalism professor at a private university in Kabul, criticized foreign media policies for not aligning with the country’s social and cultural realities. Regarding local media, he mentioned that economic and political restrictions prevent Afghan outlets from focusing sufficiently on women’s issues.
He added, “Foreign media have their own policies, and those who expect them to work for human development in Afghanistan have unrealistic expectations. Many of our domestic media outlets are influenced by political and economic powers. Media outlets driven by market interests focus primarily on financial issues, and social responsibility, especially regarding women’s issues, is not a priority for them.”
Matwa Kabir, head of the gender section at the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee, believes that a lack of journalistic expertise among some media owners contributes to the failure to protect the rights of their audience. However, he acknowledged that some local media outlets are making efforts to meet the needs of all their audiences, especially women.
He said, “It’s possible that there’s a lack of awareness about the power of media. Many content producers are unfortunately unaware of the role media plays in shaping public opinion and society, or they intentionally or unintentionally promote traditional roles through their platforms. However, we have seen positive content from Afghan media, which doesn’t mean all content is negative for women.”
Bashir Atif, head of the Federation of Journalists and Media Organizations of Afghanistan, emphasized that Afghan media outlets are working to ensure the rights of all their audiences. “Despite the challenges, our media outlets are striving to meet the needs of their audiences, but sometimes the limitations prevent them from providing precise news and reports. These limitations include a shortage of skilled personnel, economic problems, and restrictions on access to information,” he told Salam Watandar.
Hujatullah Mujadadi, head of the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJU), rejected the notion that media outlets are violating the rights of their audiences. He explained, “As someone who follows all Afghan media, I can say that these media outlets, within the limits of their professional ethics, are doing their duty and covering the issues that need attention.”
Salam Watandar sought to obtain the perspective of officials from the Ministry of Information and Culture of the de-facto Islamic Emirate government on this matter, but repeated efforts to reach them proved unsuccessful.
It is worth mentioning that the threat to freedom of expression in Afghanistan remains a concern for global press organizations. Despite the challenges, media outlets in Afghanistan remain active and capable of producing content across various fields. Moreover, media work is one of the few sectors where women can still engage, despite limitations in other areas.
