UN: 80% of Female Journalists in Afghanistan Unemployed Due to Restrictions

On World Press Freedom Day, May 3, the UN Women’s section stated that 80% of female journalists in Afghanistan have been forced to quit their jobs due to restrictions, harassment, and intimidation, adding that the situation of 'press freedom' in Afghanistan is very concerning. The UN Women’s section in Afghanistan wrote on social media platform 'X': 'On World Press Freedom Day and every day, we continue to support media initiatives and female journalists who strive to advance women's rights and gender equality.' Since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, they have imposed severe restrictions on the media, with female journalists facing gross human rights violations more than other groups. The Taliban have repeatedly imprisoned and threatened journalists. Additionally, the Afghanistan Journalists Center reported that in the past year, 136 incidents of media freedom violations and journalists have been recorded, including 73 threats and 64 detentions by the Taliban. According to this independent body, the basis for most of these restrictions and widespread violations of journalists' and media rights is at least 17 media directives issued by the Taliban, which contradict media laws, since their return in 2021. This center added that the Taliban have intensified restrictions on access to information, monitoring the publication of reports before and after publication, overseeing journalists' activities on social media, and increasing economic pressure on media through higher taxes and ancillary costs. The Afghanistan Journalists Center described this situation as another form of pressure on media and journalists. Despite these reports, Abdul Matin Qani, a spokesperson for the Taliban's Ministry of Interior, stated in Kabul that the presence of women in the media has increased by 17% compared to last year. Speaking on a television program on World Press Freedom Day, he added: 'The Islamic Emirate is committed to freedom of expression within the framework of Islamic values, national interests, and cultural values of the country, and we strive to ensure the right to access information is fully provided.' Over the past year, three directives have been issued by local Taliban officials to the media, including banning the broadcast of women's voices from media in Helmand province, prohibiting photography and video interviews of local officials with the media in Kandahar, and banning phone contact from women with media in Khost province. France condemned the Taliban's decision to resume stoning and corporal punishment of women.