Rashid Helmandi, the Head of Helmand's Information and Culture Department (left), and Mohammad Qasim Riaz (right), the Director of Information in the province, made an announcement on July 23, 2023, regarding the prohibition of publishing women's voices in Helmand's local media.
Lashkargah, Helmand province - December 24, 2024 - It has been five months since the Taliban imposed a ban on the publication of women's voices in the local media of southern Helmand province. Despite the absence of similar discriminatory measures in other provinces, local officials have continued to enforce these guidelines. The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) expresses deep concern over the ongoing implementation of this highly discriminatory instruction and urges the local administration to promptly terminate this action, which violates the fundamental rights of women and the media.
According to sources in Helmand, this order has been in effect since the end of July, following the directives of the local administration and the Department of Information and Culture in Helmand. The ban extends to any direct or indirect program featuring women's voices, including public awareness announcements regarding health and safety issues or business matters.
In late October, a glimmer of hope emerged with the appointment of Abdul Rahman Kunduzi as the new governor of Helmand, replacing Abul Ahad Talib, who was considered a "moderate face" in relation to lifting media restrictions. However, despite the diligent efforts of the Helmand media community, specifically the four operating radio channels - Sabawoon, Sakoon, Zhagh, and Lashkargah radio - no tangible progress has been observed thus far.
"We are deeply concerned about the persistent enforcement of this discriminatory instruction, as it not only undermines women's rights and press freedom but also threatens their role in society. Therefore, we urgently urge for the immediate withdrawal of this directive," expressed Ahmad Quraishi, the AFJC executive director.
The AFJC highlights that the advertisements are the primary source of funding for non-governmental media in the country. Its implementation, while disregarding the rights of women and the media, also leads to the decline of local media.
New research conducted by the AFJC indicates that in over two years of Taliban rule, at least 14 directives have been issued and enforced, severely limiting media freedom. Some of these instructions specifically target women, including the enforcement of face coverings, the prohibition of interviews with men, and the prohibition of performing programs in mixed-gender environments. In February, journalists in Helmand were banned from taking photos and conducting video interviews by order of the local administration. Although this directive was subsequently lifted after approximately one month, it sheds light on the immense pressure faced by journalists and media professionals in this province.