Photo: Radio Begum

Taliban Halts Broadcasts of Women’s Radio Station in Afghanistan

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban Ministry of Information and Culture has suspended the broadcasts of Radio Begum, a station dedicated to airing educational programs for women and girls across several provinces in Afghanistan.

In a statement on February 4, the ministry said that the suspension was “due to violations of broadcasting policies” and the “improper use of a license.”

The ministry also accused the radio station of producing content for a television channel based outside the country.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) has condemned the suspension of Radio Begum, calling it a continuation of the Taliban’s policy to suppress free media.

The center has urged the Taliban to reconsider their decision and allow the radio station to resume its operations.

Radio Begum was established in March 2021, several months before the Taliban took control of Kabul, and was staffed entirely by women.

According to information posted on the radio’s Facebook page, its broadcasts were accessible in several provinces, including Kabul, Parwan, Bamyan, Baghlan, Logar, Maidan Wardak, and Ghazni.

The station was founded by Hamida Aman, an Afghan entrepreneur living in France, and was managed by the Begum Institute for Women. Ms. Aman also established the Begum Academy, which provides online education to girls above the 6th grade—an essential service for those whose right to education is effectively denied by the Taliban.

Educational videos produced by the station were also distributed through Radio Begum and made available on its TV channel of the same name.