In Afghanistan under Taliban rule, the voices and objections of women whose gains are being dismantled one by one are becoming more meaningful for the struggle. Media is among the sectors where women are most excluded, while the Afghan Women’s News Agency (AWNA) continues to exist as one of the most important independent media outlets documenting women’s rights violations, bans on education and work, and trying to make women’s voices heard in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power. Due to detentions, arrests, harassment and threats against women journalists, the agency is unable to produce news in a safe environment and therefore largely operates in exile or through very limited local networks.

 

Founded in 2016, AWNA began broadcasting on 1 October that year. For 10 years, AWNA has continuously raised the problems of women in Afghanistan and publishes in Persian. Established to amplify women’s voices, AWNA now tries to carry out journalism in an environment where women are completely excluded from education, social life and the workforce. 

 

The responsible editor explained AWNA’s work to our agency. For security reasons, we cannot disclose the editor’s name; we present the interview given to our agency in the editor’s own words.

 

FOUNDING PURPOSE AND AFTER THE TALIBAN

 

“AWNA officially began publishing on October 1, 2016. Since then, we have produced news articles, reports, analysis, interviews, and multimedia content focused on issues affecting Afghanistani women and society at large. Despite the political changes and increasing restrictions on media freedom, we have continued publishing and adapting our operations to ensure our work remains accessible.

 

It is established to create a dedicated platform for Afghanistani women’s voices at a time when they were increasingly marginalized in mainstream media. From the beginning, our goal has been to highlight women’s rights, social justice, education, and the lived realities of Afghanistani women, and to promote gender equality in social, political, and economic spheres. After the Taliban takeover in 2021, the need became even more urgent. Many women journalists could no longer work safely inside the country, and censorship intensified. AWNA became not only a media outlet, but also a space where Afghanistani women journalists and citizen reporters—both inside the country and in exile—could continue reporting and ensure that women’s experiences were not erased.

 

JOURNALISM BASED ON GENDER EQUALITY

 

Our editorial policy is grounded in professional journalism standards and a strong commitment to gender-equitable reporting. We prioritize accuracy, fact-based reporting, and ethical journalism. At the same time, we are mission-driven: we seek to inform the public about issues affecting women, promote equality and human rights, and encourage women’s participation in public life. We support democratic values, freedom of expression, and responsible journalism. Even under restrictive conditions, we strive to maintain credibility, impartiality, and integrity in our reporting.

 

Today, AWNA operates as an independent digital newsroom with a network of contributors inside Afghanistan and in exile. Given the risks facing journalists, especially women, we rely on secure communication methods and careful editorial processes to protect our reporters and sources. We publish online to reach both Afghanistani and international audiences. Our operation combines exile-based editorial coordination with on-the-ground reporting from trusted contributors who continue to document the realities Afghanistani women face. Despite censorship and security challenges, we remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistani women’s stories are heard.”

 

MA / Berivan Kutlu