Broadcasting Hope: How a Paris-Based TV Station is Empowering Afghan Women
Begum TV offers a vital lifeline amidst the erosion of women's rights in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
From a modest studio in Paris, more than 4,500 miles from Kabul, Begum TV transmits a slate of programmes aimed at women into homes across Afghanistan.
Launched on International Women's Day, the channel is the brainchild of Hamida Aman, an Afghanistan-born, Swiss-raised entrepreneur.
As women in Afghanistan face increasing restrictions, Begum TV represents a beacon of hope and connection.
In Afghanistan, where women have been progressively marginalized following the Taliban's return to power in 2021, television serves as a crucial portal to the outside world.
"For us, it’s a way to provide hope," says Aman of Begum TV, which delivers content around the clock, presented by female hosts.
With the Taliban's theocratic regime systematically dismantling women's rights — banning them from education, work, and public spaces — Begum TV steps in to fill the void by offering educational and empowering content.
The UN has described the situation as "gender apartheid," as rights and freedoms for women have significantly regressed under the Taliban's rule.
Notably, in December, the Taliban prohibited women from training as nurses and midwives, cutting off remaining avenues for female education and professional development.
Begum TV provides a crucial alternative, airing school lessons in Dari and Pashto throughout the day for girls barred from classrooms.
In the evenings, it features programming ranging from entertainment to discussions on women's rights and essential health issues.
Begum TV can tackle contentious topics impossible to discuss within Afghanistan's borders, including contraception and LGBTQ+ rights, thanks to its Parisian base.
Music and entertainment broadcasts also defy the Afghan bans on these forms of expression.
The channel is an extension of Begum Radio, established in Kabul six months before the Taliban's rise to power in 2021.
Aman and her team comprise Afghan women who sought asylum in France amidst the Taliban's repressive policies.
Despite the challenges, Begum Radio continues to broadcast educational and health-focused content within Afghanistan, reaching an estimated audience of six million listeners.
"Every day, I fear the Taliban might shut us down," Aman disclosed.
"Yet we've persisted amid constant uncertainty."
The Taliban’s decrees have tightened over time, observed Saba Chaman, former Begum Radio manager now part of Begum TV in Paris.
Female broadcasters were mandated to veil their faces, and music was banned.
Women are prohibited from participating in or presenting entertainment programming alongside male colleagues.
Chaman, who relocated to France for her safety earlier this year, underscores the precarious balance between broadcasting and repression faced by Begum Radio.
Supported by NGO funding, Begum TV acts as a conduit for education, mental health resources, and entertainment, all designed for Afghan women enduring heightened isolation and anxiety.
An affiliated website complements this mission with over 8,500 videos, empowering families with internet access to uphold girls' education standards in line with Afghanistan's national curriculum.
Chaman regards Begum TV as a "continuation of hope," maintaining the spirit of progress that she and her colleagues envisioned for Afghanistan.
"While our dreams for a bright future for our country and its women may be dashed, sparks like Begum TV keep hope for renewal alive."
Launched on International Women's Day, the channel is the brainchild of Hamida Aman, an Afghanistan-born, Swiss-raised entrepreneur.
As women in Afghanistan face increasing restrictions, Begum TV represents a beacon of hope and connection.
In Afghanistan, where women have been progressively marginalized following the Taliban's return to power in 2021, television serves as a crucial portal to the outside world.
"For us, it’s a way to provide hope," says Aman of Begum TV, which delivers content around the clock, presented by female hosts.
With the Taliban's theocratic regime systematically dismantling women's rights — banning them from education, work, and public spaces — Begum TV steps in to fill the void by offering educational and empowering content.
The UN has described the situation as "gender apartheid," as rights and freedoms for women have significantly regressed under the Taliban's rule.
Notably, in December, the Taliban prohibited women from training as nurses and midwives, cutting off remaining avenues for female education and professional development.
Begum TV provides a crucial alternative, airing school lessons in Dari and Pashto throughout the day for girls barred from classrooms.
In the evenings, it features programming ranging from entertainment to discussions on women's rights and essential health issues.
Begum TV can tackle contentious topics impossible to discuss within Afghanistan's borders, including contraception and LGBTQ+ rights, thanks to its Parisian base.
Music and entertainment broadcasts also defy the Afghan bans on these forms of expression.
The channel is an extension of Begum Radio, established in Kabul six months before the Taliban's rise to power in 2021.
Aman and her team comprise Afghan women who sought asylum in France amidst the Taliban's repressive policies.
Despite the challenges, Begum Radio continues to broadcast educational and health-focused content within Afghanistan, reaching an estimated audience of six million listeners.
"Every day, I fear the Taliban might shut us down," Aman disclosed.
"Yet we've persisted amid constant uncertainty."
The Taliban’s decrees have tightened over time, observed Saba Chaman, former Begum Radio manager now part of Begum TV in Paris.
Female broadcasters were mandated to veil their faces, and music was banned.
Women are prohibited from participating in or presenting entertainment programming alongside male colleagues.
Chaman, who relocated to France for her safety earlier this year, underscores the precarious balance between broadcasting and repression faced by Begum Radio.
Supported by NGO funding, Begum TV acts as a conduit for education, mental health resources, and entertainment, all designed for Afghan women enduring heightened isolation and anxiety.
An affiliated website complements this mission with over 8,500 videos, empowering families with internet access to uphold girls' education standards in line with Afghanistan's national curriculum.
Chaman regards Begum TV as a "continuation of hope," maintaining the spirit of progress that she and her colleagues envisioned for Afghanistan.
"While our dreams for a bright future for our country and its women may be dashed, sparks like Begum TV keep hope for renewal alive."
