Over 80 pc women journalists forced to leave jobs in Afghanistan after Taliban takeover: Report

Kabul [Afghanistan], August 11 : More than 80 per cent of the female journalists in Afghanistan have been forced to leave their work since the Taliban takeover, Khaama Press reported citing a report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
RSF, in their report titled ‘2 Years of Journalism under the Taliban Regime’, has revealed that over 80 per cent 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 also highlights that over 50 per cent of the 547 media outlets registered in 2021 have subsequently vanished, Khaama Press reported.
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 that 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, Khaama Press reported.
Notably, ever since the Taliban took 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 per cent decline in their presence within the profession, as per Khaama Press.
Over the past two decades, a significant achievement in Afghanistan has been the advancement of freedom of speech and media. However, this hard-earned accomplishment has faced continuous threats due to the imposition of stricter decrees by the Taliban administration.