On the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8, UNESCO’s Partner Radio Begum in Afghanistan completed three years.

The station was launched in 2021 by the Begum Organization for Women, created by Hamida Aman. It is the only Afghan radio station where all staff members are women, all content is related to women and the goal is to bring hope back to the women of Afghanistan.

It airs in 19 Afghan provinces, including remote areas such as Badakhshan, Ghor and Nimruz. where media access, is lacking due to Taliban restrictions especially for women.

According to Aman, the station, which has 30 employees, provides a platform for women to engage in dialogue and interaction, ensuring they do not feel isolated.

Its primary focus is women’s education. Six hours a day are dedicated to educating female students in grades seventh to 12th in Persian and Pashto languages. Other content covers health, nutrition, parenting and women’s advice.

Aman told The Asahi Shimbun: “Considering the current situation of Afghan women and the restrictions imposed by the authorities to limit their operational capacities—such as no interaction between women and men, forbidding women to attend governmental news conferences, forbidding women to travel alone and so on—one can say, ‘Begum is doing an amazing job.’”

To mark International Women’s Day, the station launched Begum TV, an educational TV channel, targeting Afghan schoolgirls and students, deprived of education.

Radio Begum also provides opportunities for female doctors to answer women’s questions in live programs.

Aman hopes that Radio Begum will continue to be able to provide services even in the face of obstacles posed by the Taliban.