“A radio by Afghan women, for Afghan women”

Blog by Ana Mauriac, AF Committee member

On February 4, 2025, Radio Begum, an Afghan women-led radio station in Kabul, was shut down by the Taliban.

Founded on March 8, 2021, by Hamida Aman, an Afghan woman born in Kabul, Radio Begum employed over 20 Afghan women. When the Taliban returned to power on August 6, 2023, the station continued operating under the argument that it was a private company, as the Taliban initially restricted only public services. However, increasing restrictions forced the radio to ban female employees from receiving calls from men, working in the same rooms as male colleagues, and broadcasting non-religious music.

On February 4, 2025, after a raid and the arrest of two female employees, the Taliban shut down Radio Begum.

Now operating from Paris, France, Hamida Aman, the station’s founder, shares her thoughts on the situation.

Can you give us an update on the situation with Radio Begum?

To give a bit of context, on February 4th, officers from the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI, the regime’s secret police), accompanied by representatives from the Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC), raided our office in Kabul, where both Radio Begum’s and another men’s radio station, Radio Jawanan’s studios are located. The officers suspended the broadcasting of both radios, seized hard drives and computers, sealed off the office, and took two of our male colleagues from Radio Jawanan into custody. What followed was an “investigation” conducted by the Taliban, during which we entered into lengthy negotiations to secure the release of our two colleagues.

Since then, at the end of February, we obtained authorization from the MoIC to resume broadcasting for both stations. Our offices were reopened on March 10, and Radio Begum progressively resumed its on-air programming starting March 13. Unfortunately, our colleagues are still detained in GDI facilities.

What justification did the Taliban give for shutting down the station?

In their official statement, shared on their social media channels, the Taliban accused Radio Begum of "multiple offenses" and of "providing material and programs to a television channel based abroad." This accusation is, however, true: the Radio Begum team did produce content for Begum TV, the satellite television channel we launched a year ago that broadcasts from Paris. That said, the content produced was mainly educational video lessons for girls deprived of access to school, as well as health and mental health content. It is, therefore, morally difficult to see what offense was committed.

How did the women working at Radio Begum react to the shutdown?

The Taliban's raid was a shock to our team. During the operation, our female colleagues were gathered in a room, and their phones were confiscated. The officers repeatedly insulted them, saying they had "no honor" (a very harsh and derogatory expression in Afghan culture) and that they were "insulting their religion" by working for an organization supported by "foreigners." The women were then the first to be released and sent home. Although no physical violence occurred, the psychological violence was immense, especially in a context where patriarchal pressure is already omnipresent in their daily lives.

Nonetheless, our colleagues have shown immense courage — as soon as the radio was allowed to reopen, they returned to work and resumed their fight, despite the pressure and the fear they had experienced.

What impact do you think this shutdown has had on Afghan women’s access to information and their ability to express themselves?

Even though we are now progressively resuming the broadcast of our programs on Radio Begum, the Taliban’s intervention had a major symbolic impact. By interrupting the last remaining space where Afghan women could express themselves, they sent a very clear message: that they want to completely silence Afghan women.

It’s important to remember that beyond Radio Begum, all media outlets are being targeted by the de facto authorities (DFA), as evidenced by a recent law banning the recording and broadcasting of images of living beings. In this context, it is extremely difficult for Afghan women to access neutral and quality information, and it is nearly impossible for them to speak freely in public from within the country.

However, the situation must be nuanced. The law about living beings is absurd and nearly impossible to implement nationwide. Also, the MoIC’s authorization allowing us to resume broadcasting shows the regime’s difficulty in justifying the shutdown of a women’s radio station — the media coverage didn’t sit well with them, and even they have mothers, wives, and daughters who want to learn and be informed.

That is why, despite the risks, we chose to resume broadcasting on Radio Begum — because our mission is essential. It gives Afghan women a space where they don’t feel forgotten or silenced, as long as they can continue to speak.

Were there any warning signs before the shutdown, or did it happen suddenly?

There were warning signs, even though we’ve been aware from the beginning that we’re working under the constant threat of being shut down — every day that Radio Begum is on air is a small victory. The Taliban regime is waging such a war against women that it’s surreal they even allow a radio station run by women for women to exist — it should be noted that we comply with all their requirements as long as it allows us to continue broadcasting: no music, no politics, and no topics considered taboo (such as contraception, suicide, menstruation…).

However, in recent months, the calls and summons have become more frequent. We even had to stop broadcasting a poetry program last November because the female listeners were laughing too much during call-ins, which irritated the DFA. So the raid on February 4 wasn’t entirely surprising, though it was still a bitter reminder of who makes the rules.

How have international organizations and the media responded to this situation?

Local and Western media were very responsive and provided immediate support and wide visibility for the situation. This undoubtedly played an important role in resolving the crisis — we’re convinced the DFA felt overwhelmed by the media attention.

As for international organizations, their response has been uneven, and they have mostly proven incapable of acting or exerting real pressure on the DFA.

What role can the international community play to support Afghan women journalists today?

The international community plays a crucial role in the future of Afghan women, especially journalists. However, there is a growing sense of fatigue regarding a situation that seems to be dragging on, especially with other global conflicts demanding attention.

Still, it’s absolutely essential to support women journalists. The international community must provide financial support to media outlets that employ and train women in journalism, and above all, amplify the initiatives that still exist. It’s vital to show that Afghan women — and especially journalists — are not passive victims of the Taliban regime, but are actively resisting oppression every day.

Despite the risks, do you think there are still ways for Afghan women to continue working as journalists within the country?

These opportunities are becoming fewer and fewer, and so are the women still practicing. According to Amnesty, 80% of women journalists have stopped working. Many have fled the country, and those who remain have either lost their jobs (due to the closure of many media outlets), or must work under extremely restricted conditions. For example, women on television must now cover their entire face. Female reporters are no longer allowed to film outdoors and must limit themselves to domestic topics, only covering issues related to women.

How can people outside of Afghanistan — including feminists and journalists — support Radio Begum and its mission?

You can support us financially on the HelloAsso platform: https://www.helloasso.com/associations/bow-radio-begum — this allows us to expand our activities and employ more Afghan women, both in Afghanistan and in France.

It’s essential to raise awareness about Afghan women’s issues, and to widely share the struggles they face — both those of our radio team and all Afghan women. Support can include sharing on social media, publishing articles, organizing conferences, and holding demonstrations to amplify the voices of Afghan women and show them they are not alone — that they are seen and heard.

What message would you like to send to Afghan women who feel silenced under the Taliban regime?

You are not alone. Whatever the regime tries to make you believe, you are just as valuable and capable as any man — if not more so. Your voice and your life are precious. These are very dark times, but the Taliban have a distorted vision of Islam and of the order of things. You must never lose hope.