According to a report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), over 80% of female journalists in Afghanistan have been forced to halt their work since August 15, 2021.
RSF, in their report titled “2 Years of Journalism under the Taliban Regime”, has revealed that over 80% of Afghanistan’s female journalists have been forced to halt their work since the ominous date of August 15, 2021.
According to the report, of the roughly 12,000 male and female journalists that Afghanistan had in 2021, more than two-thirds have abandoned the profession, and the media have been decimated in the past two years.”
The report highlights that over 50% of the 547 media outlets registered in 2021 have subsequently vanished.
According to data from the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA), the organization has revealed that out of the initial 150 television channels, fewer than 70 channels are operational.
The RSF’s report further revealed, among the 307 radio stations, merely 170 are actively broadcasting. Moreover, the count of news agencies has dwindled from 31 to 18 within the past two years.
Since the Taliban assumed control of the country, media outlets have encountered many challenges encompassing censorship, economic constraints, and a shortage of skilled professionals.
Among the challenges mentioned, female journalists are confronting dire obstacles, as they have been prohibited from engaging in media work, leading to an alarming 80% decline in their presence within the profession.
Over the past two decades, a significant achievement in Afghanistan has been the advancement of freedom of speech and media. Regrettably, this hard-earned accomplishment has faced continuous threats due to the imposition of stricter decrees by the Taliban administration.
The Taliban authorities have not yet commented on the RFS report.
